CM promises govt. support to India’s newest public health university coming up in Hyderabad

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy assured the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) of the State government’s full support for establishing its Institute of Public Health Sciences (IPHS) Deemed-to-be University in Hyderabad, setting June 2, 2028, as the deadline for completing the proposed campus and promising assistance with land, funds, permissions and other requirements.

Speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony and unveiling of the campus master plan on Saturday, Mr. Reddy said the government was committed to developing the institution into a world-class university that would contribute to public health education, research and healthcare in India and internationally.

He further added that the proposed university was not merely another educational institution but a project of global significance. Expressing confidence in its potential, he said he hoped that in the coming years, people would discuss the PHFI university alongside established institutions such as Harvard and Oxford.

The Chief Minister recalled how institutions such as the Indian School of Business (ISB) had contributed to Hyderabad’s emergence as an educational and knowledge hub. He said individuals who had established successful institutions had helped create a distinct identity for the city and that the PHFI university would add to this legacy.

PHFI Chairman Rajat Gupta said the university aspired to achieve excellence through world-class faculty, students, international collaborations and infrastructure.

PHFI IPHS Chancellor Dr. K. Srinath Reddy said PHFI aspired to become the world’s leading public health institution with the establishment of the university in Hyderabad. Dr. Reddy said the foundation’s work involved advancing multidisciplinary education and research through multi-sectoral implementation and multi-stakeholder engagement. The objective was to improve life expectancy, strengthen health systems, align policies across sectors with population health goals and encourage active community engagement.

Pro-Chancellor Sanjay Zodpey said the university was being conceived as a long-term institution that would serve generations of students, researchers, public health professionals and communities. He said the public health challenges of the 21st century required professionals with interdisciplinary perspectives, evidence-based knowledge and a commitment to equity and social impact.

Vice-Chancellor M. Vishnu Vardhana Rao outlined the university’s academic journey and expansion plans. The Indian Institute of Public Health Hyderabad was established in 2008 under the aegis of PHFI, with the objective of advancing public health through education, research and community engagement. The institution received recognition as a deemed-to-be university from the University Grants Commission in 2025, with Hyderabad as its main campus and Bengaluru as another campus, he said.

With the proposed campus and modern infrastructure, the institution plans to expand its academic offerings to at least six postgraduate programmes, two undergraduate programmes, PhD programmes and institute-level Master of Public Health programmes. It aims to build an academic community of approximately 2,500 students and research scholars over the next five years.

Dr. Rao said the university’s research priorities would include infectious diseases and pandemic preparedness, non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, One Health, mental health and disability. Digital health, artificial intelligence and data science would serve as cross-cutting areas across its research activities, he added.