The Karnataka government has named Dr. Bhaskar Rajakumar as the Chief Executive Officer of its newly established Centre of Excellence in HealthTech and MedTech. The appointment aims to drive innovation, foster startups, attract investments, and position Karnataka as a global leader in health technology and medical device development through policy support, industry-academia collaboration, and ecosystem building.
Glimpse:
Dr. Bhaskar Rajakumar, a seasoned leader with extensive experience in healthcare strategy, digital transformation, and medtech entrepreneurship, will head the Centre of Excellence to accelerate R&D, facilitate regulatory navigation, support startup incubation, and promote public-private partnerships. The centre will focus on AI diagnostics, telemedicine, wearable health devices, precision medicine, and advanced medical equipment manufacturing, with initial operations starting in Bengaluru and plans for statewide impact.
The Government of Karnataka has appointed Dr. Bhaskar Rajakumar as the Chief Executive Officer of the newly established Centre of Excellence in HealthTech and MedTech, a flagship initiative under the state’s Department of Industries and Commerce. The announcement was made on February 27, 2026, during a high-profile event in Bengaluru attended by Industries Minister M.B. Patil, IT & BT Minister Priyank Kharge, senior bureaucrats, and industry leaders from the healthtech and medtech sectors. Dr. Rajakumar brings over two decades of leadership experience, having previously held senior roles in global healthcare organizations, Indian hospital chains, and healthtech ventures, where he drove digital transformation, innovation strategy, and ecosystem partnerships.
The Centre of Excellence aims to position Karnataka already home to Bengaluru’s thriving startup ecosystem and major medtech players as a global hub for health technology and medical device innovation. Dr. Rajakumar’s mandate includes building a collaborative ecosystem that brings together startups, established companies, academic institutions (IISc, IIT Dharwad, NIMHANS), research labs, hospitals, and investors. Key priorities will be accelerating R&D in AI-driven diagnostics, telemedicine platforms, wearable health monitors, robotic surgery tools, precision medicine solutions, and advanced medical devices, while supporting regulatory compliance, clinical validation, and market access for indigenous innovations.
The centre will offer incubation support, funding facilitation through state and central schemes (including PLI for medical devices, IndiaAI Mission, and BioPharma Shakti), access to shared infrastructure (testing labs, prototyping facilities, regulatory guidance), and skill development programs for engineers, clinicians, and entrepreneurs. It will also serve as a policy think-tank to recommend reforms that reduce barriers to innovation, attract foreign direct investment, and promote exports of Karnataka-made healthtech and medtech products. Initial operations will be based in Bengaluru with outreach to other districts, with plans to establish satellite nodes in Mysuru, Hubballi, and Kalaburagi.
Minister M.B. Patil highlighted that the appointment of Dr. Rajakumar reflects the government’s commitment to bringing proven leadership with both clinical insight and business acumen to drive the centre’s success. He noted that Karnataka already contributes significantly to India’s medtech and healthtech output, and the Centre of Excellence will help the state capture a larger share of the projected $50 billion Indian medical device market and $150 billion global digital health opportunity by 2030. Dr. Rajakumar expressed excitement about leading the initiative, emphasizing collaboration with stakeholders to create an innovation-friendly environment that benefits patients, providers, and the economy.
The appointment and centre launch have been welcomed by industry bodies like Karnataka Digital Health Mission, BioIncubator, and medtech associations, who see it as a catalyst for job creation, startup growth, and positioning Karnataka as a preferred destination for healthtech and medtech investments.
“Karnataka has the talent, ecosystem, and vision to lead India’s healthtech and medtech revolution. As CEO of this Centre of Excellence, my focus will be on turning ideas into impactful innovations that improve lives and build a stronger healthcare future for our state and country.”
By
HB Team
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