Balram Bhargava, a senior consultant cardiologist at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), is appointed as the new Director General (DG) of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Secretary of the Department of Health Research, according to a circular issued by the cabinet appointments committee.
Bhargava will be succeeding Soumya Swaminathan, appointed the deputy director general for the World Health Organisation in October 2017.
Bhargava, a leader in the field of biomedical innovations in India, is a recipient of Padma Shri for his contributions to the field of medicine. He played a key role in the establishment of the Stem Cell Facility at AIIMS which initiated treatment for dilated cardiomyopathy patients.