Marking its Golden Jubilee, Delhi’s Institute of Public Health & Hygiene (IPH&H) opens its first campus in Jammu.
In a conversation with The Heaven Mail Daily, Shri V K Nangalia Bhardwaj, Chairman, IPH&H and FIMT Group of Institutions, speaks about the institute’s fifty year journey, its vision for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, and why healthcare education must be built on human values.
By Peerzada Masarat Shah
“Fifty years of legacy is not about how long we have existed. It is about how many lives we have touched, how many professionals we have nurtured, and how much trust we have earned.”
For five decades, the Institute of Public Health & Hygiene has trained healthcare professionals in Delhi. Now, in its Golden Jubilee year, the institute has chosen Jammu for its first campus outside the capital, a decision its leadership says was born not of expansion plans but of a promise to the young people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Excerpts from the interview:
Peerzada: IPH&H has earned a strong reputation in Delhi. What inspired you to establish your first campus in Jammu?
Dr Bhardwaj: Jammu and Kashmir is a land of immense talent, aspiration and resilience. This year, as we celebrate fifty years of our educational journey, we felt it was the right time to carry our experience beyond Delhi. Our Golden Jubilee is not a celebration of the past alone. It is a commitment to take five decades of academic excellence and service to new regions. Jammu became our first choice because we wanted this legacy of trust and quality to benefit the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
In our interactions with the people of the region, we realised that many bright young men and women were forced to leave their homes in search of quality healthcare education. We believe they deserve the same opportunities without having to move away from their families.
Establishing our first campus in Jammu is our way of giving back. We want young people here to dream bigger, study closer to home, and build careers that transform not only their own lives but also the healthcare system of the region.
Peerzada: What is your vision for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, and how will this institute help shape their future?
Dr Bhardwaj: Over the past fifty years, we have watched education transform thousands of lives. That journey has strengthened our conviction that every young person, regardless of where they come from, deserves quality education, the right guidance, and a fair opportunity to succeed.
Our vision for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir is to nurture their potential through education that builds both professional competence and human values. We want our students to be known not merely for the degrees they earn, but for the difference they make in people’s lives. If our fifty year legacy can inspire and empower the next generation of healthcare professionals from this region, it will be our greatest achievement.
Peerzada: What professional courses are being offered at the Jammu campus, and how do they align with current industry demands?
Dr Bhardwaj: Our programmes in Nursing and Allied Health Sciences have been carefully designed to meet the realities of today’s healthcare world.
Healthcare today demands far more than textbook knowledge. It calls for critical thinking, practical skill, empathy, teamwork, and the ability to adapt to new technologies. That is precisely what we focus on. Our students learn in classrooms, laboratories, hospitals and real clinical settings, so that they step into their careers confident and job ready from day one.
Peerzada: Can you share your placement record? How many graduates secure jobs in India and overseas?
Dr Bhardwaj: Over the years, a large majority of our graduates have secured rewarding careers in reputed hospitals and healthcare organisations, both in India and abroad. Many are serving in the Gulf countries, while others have built successful careers in different parts of the world.
For us, every placement represents more than a job. It represents a family’s dream fulfilled and a student’s hard work rewarded.
Peerzada: Which leading hospitals and healthcare institutions have recruited IPH&H students over the years?
Dr Bhardwaj: Our graduates have earned the trust of leading healthcare institutions because they are known for their professionalism, discipline and patient centred approach. Today, our alumni serve in reputed government hospitals, private hospital chains, speciality healthcare centres, diagnostic facilities and international healthcare organisations. Their success is the strongest testimony to the quality of education and training we provide.
The alumni network we have built over fifty years now serves across India and overseas. That legacy, in turn, opens doors for every new generation of students.
Peerzada: What makes IPH&H different from other institutes offering similar courses? Why should students choose your institution?
Dr Bhardwaj: Our greatest strength is a fifty year legacy of education rooted in human values. At IPH&H, we believe true education is about nurturing compassion, empathy, integrity and a deep sense of social responsibility. These values create a natural bond with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, a land known for its resilience, warmth and rich cultural heritage.
We aspire to prepare healthcare professionals who are clinically competent, humane and committed to serving society. More importantly, we hope they become the generation that helps build a healthier, stronger and more prosperous Jammu and Kashmir, one that truly reflects the timeless words of Amir Khusrau:
“Agar firdaus bar rū ye zamīn ast, hamīn ast o, hamīn ast o, hamīn ast.”
(If there is a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this.)
Our dream is to contribute, through education and service, to preserving and strengthening that paradise for generations to come.
Peerzada: What is your message to students and parents in Jammu and Kashmir looking for quality education and assured career opportunities?
Dr Bhardwaj: To every student, my message is simple. Dream fearlessly, work sincerely, and never let your circumstances define your future. Healthcare offers not only a career but a life of purpose, dignity and service.
To parents, I offer this assurance. The trust you place in IPH&H will be honoured with quality education, strong values and a nurturing environment.
As we celebrate our Golden Jubilee, our commitment remains unchanged, to transform lives through education and to build compassionate professionals who serve society. After all, a legacy is not measured by the years behind us, but by the lives we shape for the future.
