Maharashtra formally set the stage for PULSE 2026 as Hon. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired the Curtain Raiser at the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday, outlining a comprehensive vision to position the state at the forefront of healthcare innovation, medical education, and related investments.

Hon’ble Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Curtain Raiser of PULSE 2026, convening leaders from healthcare, academia and industry

More than a ceremonial opening, the Curtain Raiser underscored how the Government of Maharashtra is reframing healthcare not only as a social imperative, but also as strategic infrastructure central to the state’s economic, innovation and research agenda. Headlined by the Chief Minister, the event was graced by Minister for Medical Education Shri Hasan Mushrif, Minister of Water Resources Girish Mahajan, Minister of State for Medical Education Smt Madhuri Misal, Secretary, Medical Education and Pharmaceuticals Shri Dheeraj Kumar (IAS), and Commissioner, Medical Education Shri Anil Bhandari (IAS).

Leaders from healthcare institutions including Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Lilavati Hospital, alongside Swapnali Kadam of Bharati Vidyapeeth, and diagnostics major Agilus Diagnostics participated in the discussions. They were joined by Prashant Desai, longevity and health span educator; integrative health expert Luke Coutinho; actor and women’s health advocate Soha Ali Khan, associated with UNFPA India; and representatives from the Ramky Group, which is involved in bulk drug park development in Maharashtra. Many of the participants also joined the initiative as Champions for PULSE, committing to support the platform’s long term vision of strengthening healthcare innovation, research collaboration and health systems transformation in the state.

The composition of the gathering reflected the ambition of PULSE 2026 as a convergence of clinical medicine, preventive wellness, diagnostics, policy and investment. Importantly, the state confirmed that PULSE 2026 will be held on March 27 to 28, 2026, at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, reflecting the scale and ambition of the summit.

In his address, the Chief Minister articulated a clear vision for the sector’s evolution.

“Healthcare must be viewed as both a social responsibility and a driver of long term economic growth. Maharashtra has the institutional depth, medical expertise, and innovation capacity to emerge as a national leader in healthcare transformation. Through PULSE 2026, we aim to create a structured platform that brings together policy, capital, research and clinical excellence to strengthen our health ecosystem,” said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the importance of building affordable healthcare models and strengthening Maharashtra’s health and medtech ecosystem. He emphasised that the state’s expanding digital health infrastructure and public health data systems can play a catalytic role in enabling innovation, research and technology development, while creating new opportunities for collaboration between government institutions, healthcare providers and private sector innovators.

Beyond infrastructure and innovation, PULSE 2026 will place strong emphasis on preventive healthcare, early diagnostics and community awareness as foundational pillars of long term health resilience. By aligning public policy with private sector participation and institutional expertise, the state aims to catalyse investment into healthcare infrastructure, medtech manufacturing, digital health platforms, biotechnology research, wellness, medical tourism and healthcare expansion.

Research and academic collaboration will form another central pillar of the conclave, with a focus on competency based medical education, global university partnerships, translational research and technology enabled learning environments.

Mumbai’s status as a medical, financial and educational hub gives the initiative natural momentum. The broader vision, however, is more expansive: to position Maharashtra as a gateway for healthcare innovation, research excellence and global capital participation. 

PULSE 2026 is expected to bring together more than 130 national and international speakers across 20 sessions over two days, with an estimated 2,900 delegates representing government, academia, clinicians, industry leaders, investors and multilateral institutions. Conceived not as a one time event but as part of a sustained five year charter for healthcare transformation, the initiative will also explore how emerging technologies and digital platforms are reshaping healthcare delivery, medical education and innovation ecosystems.

As momentum builds toward March 27 to 28 at the Jio World Convention Centre, PULSE 2026 is being framed not merely as a conference, but as a strategic platform to shape the future of healthcare delivery, investment and research in India.