Balram Bhargava has been appointed the new Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) until 2021.
- Apart from that, he has also been appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Health Research. These appointments are made by the appointments committee of the cabinet.
- Balram Bhargava is a senior consultant cardiologist at the All India Institute of Medical Science.
- He will succeed former ICMR DG Soumya Swaminathan, who had been appointed as the deputy director general for the World Health Organisation in October 2017.
- He has been has been appointed to the post for a period of three years or until attainment of the age of 60 years.
About ICMR
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world. It is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research. It was set up in 1911 as IFRA (Indian Research Fund Association) by the Government of India and was later changed to ICMR in 1949. The ICMR is funded by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It has its headquarter in New Delhi. The Governing Body of the Council is presided over by the Union Health Minister. Its main objectives are to generate, manage and disseminate knowledge, to increase focus on research on health related issues, encourage innovations related to treatment, diagnostics etc.Expected Questions
Who among the following is appointed as the Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) until 2021?
a. Balraj Vyas
b. Balram Bhargava
c. Bilas Thapa
d. Balraj Gandhi
e. Bheemraj Joshi
Which of the following is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research?
a. Indian Council of Health Organisations
b. Indian Health Organisation
c. Indian Medical Association
d. Indian Council of Medical Research
e. None of the above
