A10-member National Media delegation, led by Dr. Manisha Verma, Additional Director General (Media), Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, visited the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune today as part of a three-day Maharashtra tour. The delegation is also scheduled to visit ICMR-CRMCH in Chandrapur later this week.
Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Naveen Kumar, Director of NIV, provided an in-depth overview of the Institute’s pioneering work in virology and its crucial role in India’s public health response. He highlighted NIV’s significant contributions in isolating and analyzing various COVID-19 variants, which played a key role in formulating India’s rapid response strategies throughout the pandemic.
Addressing the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, Dr. Kumar assured that there is no major cause for concern. “The majority of infections remain mild, requiring little to no medical intervention,” he said, emphasizing that continuous monitoring and preparedness remain in place to address any potential escalation.
Dr. Kumar also drew attention to NIV’s rapid response during the Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) outbreak earlier this year. Thanks to the Institute’s swift diagnostic capabilities and effective containment measures, the outbreak was managed efficiently, minimizing wider public health risks.
A major milestone shared during the visit was the recent commissioning of “NAKSHATRA,” India’s first High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster dedicated to virological research. Inaugurated by Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General of ICMR, the HPC system significantly enhances the Institute’s capacity for advanced virus genomics, data analysis, and bioinformatics, enabling faster and more precise research outcomes.
Looking ahead, Dr. Kumar revealed that India is nearing the development of indigenous vaccines targeting several emerging viral threats, including Mpox, Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), H5N1, and Japanese Encephalitis Virus-like particles (VLP), marking a major step toward domestic self-reliance in vaccine production.
Established in 1952 with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and integrated under ICMR in 1978, NIV Pune remains India’s premier center for virological research and diagnostics, playing a central role in safeguarding the nation’s health security.