Priority has been accorded for the development of AI-based platforms to train healthcare professionals in effectively using artificial intelligence models in clinical practices. Plans include engaging start-ups and establishing dedicated facilities in key hospitals to speed up this integration, according to Sunita Verma, Scientist ‘G’ and Group Coordinator for the R & D Division, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.
Event highlights
MeitY prioritises development of AI platforms for effective use in clinical practices, says scientist
IIT Dharwad Director suggests use of AI-based tools for diagnosis, assessment and treatment of persons with speech and hearing problems
After inaugurating the two-day international symposium on ‘Frontiers of Research in Speech and Music (FRSM) 2025’ at the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) in Mysuru on November 13, Ms. Verma addressed the gathering through video-conferencing. She spoke about the initiatives taken up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for developing AI driven technologies for the masses.
“Our group is committed to improve healthcare access with the help of technologies that are affordable, sustainable, indigenous and inclusive. However, the major challenge in this direction is the cost effectiveness,” she explained.
She urged the delegates of FRSM 2025 to deliberate and shortlist a few areas where technology development is needed, so that they can be taken up at the national level.
Ms. Verma also emphasized that her group in the Ministry is enabling an ecosystem of research with the help of the right public policy push, supporting a range of research activities — product driven, translating outcomes into commercially viable products, and so on.
Prof. S. R.M. Prasanna, Director, IIIT Dharwad, in his address, highlighted the need to utilize AI-based tools for diagnosis, assessment and treatment of persons with speech and hearing problems. The expertise of AIISH faculty and clinicians can be utilized by engineers and technologists while developing AI tools, he said.
He said the collaborative work of a team from IIT-Guwahati with the experts in AIISH Mysuru had resulted in developing a couple of automated tools for assessment of severity of speech disorders.
He hopes that the symposium opens up many more such collaborative projects.
The symposium aims to highlight the current status and trends of research and applications in the area of speech and music. It is being organised jointly by Sir C. V. Raman Centre for Physics and Music, Jadavpur University, Kolkata and Centre for Rehabilitation Engineering, Acoustics and Biomedical Engineering (CRAB), AIISH, Mysuru.
This is the third time after 2007 and 2014 that AIISH, Mysuru is organising the symposium.
The symposium is partially funded by Anusandan National Research Foundation, Government of India and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.
The focal theme of FRSM 2025 is ‘Frontiers of AI Research in Speech Hearing Systems and Music Cognition’. As many as 97 scientists and researchers from 29 institutions from India and abroad have contributed their manuscripts, and are participating in the symposium.
The participating institutions include IITs, NITs, IIITs, Central, State, deemed universities, National Institutes, Engineering Colleges, Medical Colleges, AIISH, and other speech and hearing institutes. The delegates include speech and hearing professionals, musicologists, technologists, research scholars, scientists and engineers working in the field of speech and music.
Dr. Shankha Sanyal, Jadavpur University, Kolkata and Symposium Chairperson of FRSM 2025, and Prof. Ajish K. Abraham, Convener of the Symposium were among the participants. Prof. P. Manjula, Director (in-charge), AIISH, presided over the event.
Published – November 13, 2025 03:53 pm IST
