Lucknow | The Department of Microbiology at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) celebrated its 39th Foundation Day on Tuesday, marking nearly four decades of academic, diagnostic and research excellence. The occasion was commemorated with a grand ceremony in which distinguished senior microbiologists were honoured with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their outstanding contributions to medical microbiology, public health and institution building.
Padma Shri awardee and Vice-Chancellor of KGMU, Prof. Sonia Nityanand, graced the event as the chief guest, while Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. Arpita Kaur and Dean Academics Prof. Virendra Atam were present as special guests.
The Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Prof. S.K. Agrawal, former Head of the Department of Microbiology and former Vice-Chancellor of KGMU, for his visionary leadership in strengthening microbiology education and clinical services; Prof. Mastan Singh, former Head of the Department and former Dean Academics, for his disciplined leadership and long-standing academic contributions; Prof. Amita Jain, former Head of the Department and former Dean Academics, currently Executive Director of AIIMS Raebareli, for her national-level contributions in virology, tuberculosis diagnostics, infectious disease surveillance and public health preparedness; and Dr. Sanjay Singhal, an alumnus of the department’s first MD batch and former Head of Microbiology at ESIC PGIMSR, New Delhi, for his work in academic microbiology, infection control and medical education.
The Foundation Day Oration was delivered by Dr. Kamini Walia, Senior Scientist and Programme Officer (AMR) at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi. In her lecture titled “Strengthening Antimicrobial Stewardship in India: Experiences, Challenges and the Way Forward,” she highlighted the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance and emphasized the need for robust diagnostic systems, surveillance, stewardship and evidence-based policymaking.
Earlier, Prof. Vimala Venkatesh, Head of the Department of Microbiology, delivered the welcome address and presented the annual departmental report, outlining the department’s achievements in teaching, diagnostics and research, along with its pivotal role as a state-level reference laboratory.
During the programme, several faculty members including Prof. R.K. Kalyan, Prof. Prashant Gupta, Dr. Sheetal Verma, Dr. Parul Jain, Dr. Suruchi Shukla and Dr. Shruti Radera were honoured in various categories. Awards were also presented to residents, students and staff for academic excellence, innovation, humanitarian values, dedicated service and co-curricular achievements.
Addressing the gathering, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sonia Nityanand praised the Microbiology Department for its sustained excellence, noting that it plays a crucial role not only in education and diagnostics but also in tackling major public health challenges such as infectious disease control and antimicrobial resistance.
The event witnessed the presence of several senior faculty members of the university, including Prof. K.K. Singh (Dean Paramedical and President, Teachers’ Association), Prof. Rajeev Garg (Dean, IQAC), Prof. R.K. Dixit, Prof. Sandeep Tiwari and Prof. J.D. Rawat, among others.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Sheetal Verma, who expressed gratitude to all dignitaries, faculty members, students and staff for making the celebration a success.
