Vice President of India C. P. Radhakrishnan will visit Raipur in Chhattisgarh on September 2, 2026, and attend the third convocation ceremony of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Raipur as the Chief Guest, according to the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

The visit will bring the Vice President to Chhattisgarh for an academic programme at AIIMS Raipur, where degrees will be conferred on students graduating from undergraduate, postgraduate, super-specialty, doctoral and allied health sciences programmes. The convocation is expected to bring together graduating students, faculty members, alumni and invited guests.

Vice President's Raipur visit

The Vice President's Secretariat announced on September 1 that C. P. Radhakrishnan will travel to Raipur on September 2. The announcement confirms the visit but does not provide additional details on other engagements during his stay in the city.

The AIIMS Raipur convocation was announced earlier by PIB Raipur on August 6. According to the release, Radhakrishnan accepted the invitation to attend the institution's third convocation as Chief Guest.

AIIMS Raipur convocation

The third convocation will mark an important academic event for AIIMS Raipur, with students from multiple medical and allied health disciplines receiving their degrees.

The institution has undergraduate, postgraduate, super-specialty, doctoral and allied health sciences programmes, and graduates from these programmes will be part of the ceremony.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel will also attend the convocation as the Guest of Honour, according to the official announcement.

AIIMS Raipur's healthcare role

Ahead of the convocation, AIIMS Raipur Executive Director Lieutenant General Ashok Jindal (Retired), along with his wife Usha Jindal, had met the Vice President in New Delhi and formally invited him to the ceremony.

During the meeting, Jindal briefed Radhakrishnan on AIIMS Raipur's development in patient care, medical education, research, innovation, digital health and public health initiatives. The institute has been described by PIB as a major tertiary healthcare centre serving Chhattisgarh and the wider Central Indian region.

The briefing also covered several recent developments at the institute, including robotic surgery services, kidney transplantation, artificial intelligence-based healthcare research, biomedical innovations and academic and research initiatives.

Focus on medical education and research

The Vice President appreciated AIIMS Raipur's contribution to strengthening healthcare services in Chhattisgarh and Central India. The PIB release specifically highlighted the institute's role in implementing healthcare initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat and various health insurance schemes.

The September 2 convocation will therefore combine an academic milestone for graduating students with a broader showcase of the institute's work in healthcare, medical education, research and innovation.

The Vice President's visit comes as AIIMS Raipur continues to expand its academic and medical activities. The institution's work in areas including advanced treatment, digital health, research and emerging technologies is expected to remain part of its broader development as a tertiary healthcare institution in the region.

 Four members of a family, including two sisters and two young girls, were killed in a tragic road accident on the Durg–Raipur National Highway (NH-53) in Chhattisgarh on Thursday morning after their scooter rammed into a parked tractor loaded with oxygen cylinders. An eight-year-old boy sustained critical injuries and is undergoing treatment at AIIMS Raipur.

The accident occurred in the Kumhari police station area between 10:00 am and 10:30 am, police said.

Family Was Travelling to Visit Relatives

According to police, five members of the same family were travelling on a scooter from Somni, Bhilai-3 to Basant Vihar in Raipur to visit their maternal relatives.

The victims have been identified as Amrita Nirmalkar (28), her younger sister Laxmi Nirmalkar (26), Amrita's seven-year-old daughter Yachna, and four-year-old Dali. Amrita's eight-year-old son Bhavesh survived the crash but suffered serious injuries and has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at AIIMS Raipur.

Police said the scooter collided with the rear of a tractor-trolley carrying oxygen cylinders that was parked along the roadside. The impact was so severe that four occupants died at the scene.

Birthday Celebration Turned Into Tragedy

The accident has left the family devastated. According to Lokesh Nirmalkar, Amrita's husband, the family had celebrated daughter Yachna's birthday on July 14, just two days before the tragedy.

The following day, they planned a visit to relatives in Raipur, but the journey ended in a fatal accident on the highway.

Police Detain Tractor Driver

Police have seized the tractor involved in the accident and taken its driver, Bhola Yadav, into custody for questioning. The bodies have been sent to Supela Mortuary for post-mortem examination.

Officials said further investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances of the accident, including whether the parked vehicle complied with highway safety norms.

Eyewitnesses Raise Questions

Some eyewitnesses alleged that a convoy of political leaders was passing through the highway around the time of the accident and claimed police personnel were occupied with protocol duties, delaying the emergency response.

However, police have not officially confirmed these allegations, and no statement has been issued linking the convoy to the response time. The claims remain under investigation.

Road Safety Concerns Resurface

The accident has once again highlighted concerns over road safety, particularly the risks posed by stationary heavy vehicles on highways. It also underscores the dangers of carrying multiple passengers on two-wheelers, especially children, on high-speed roads.

Authorities are expected to examine whether adequate warning signs or safety measures were in place around the parked tractor.