Umasree Raghunath: Jan 27, 2026

"Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love” - Mother Teresa

RMD and its vision

"We add life to days, not days to life!"

If a woman thinks, she can, she will! If a woman is pushed with discipline that hurts, she will emerge as a phoenix – with fire to light up the world and the whole sky!

A woman who had seen life in its raw form, its true colours, who had seen both glory of a silver spoon and at the same time, need to stir the toughest soups of life with a strong spatula, she becomes a strong force – be it in the role of a daughter, sister, mother or a professional. And when that profession is filled with empathy, care and skill, emerges a doctor with compassion.

When she was challenged on why she needs education being a girl, she said she will choose the toughest one! Medical Profession to conquer!

When she was challenged by her own father, she went head on and created an empire in his name making him proud!

When she saw pain, she knew her future is to serve the mankind in geriatric and palliative care!

When she saw men and meanderings, she found gender is just another ignorable aspect, but what matters is who you are as a human being!

Today, RMD is a brand in health care and Dr. Republica Sridhar is a brand herself! A name synonymous to care and compassion.

When people see geriatric care and palliative care as pain, misery and sadness, she embraces it with a smile, hope and positivity to keep the final days of one’s life pain-free -both physically and emotionally!

2025 had been a cruel year for her personally, and had it been any other woman, would have spent in grief and withdrawal. But she chose the opposite. To work relentlessly and with more force and purpose. Few days after passing of actor-husband Sridhar, she chose to let the organization go ahead and open the RMD Academy of Health as planned. She went ahead to start the Uthukottai project – a specialized cancer hospital in the region. She went ahead with the call of duty.

In private, with her close family and friends, she exploded in tears and pain. But that did not deter her from her mission and purpose she had in hand. The end result is Geripalcon 2026…a conference with difference. A well-executed, a well-organized and well-articulated conference with enriching insights in the field of healthcare, focusing on Geriatric, Oncology and Palliative care.

Dear Dr. Republica…. Salute to you my brave lady! I am honored and privileged to know you, and be part of your inner circle!

GERIPALCON 2026

GERIPALCON is India’s premier conference dedicated to advancing Geriatrics, Oncology, and Palliative Care. It bought together doctors, healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers to share insights, innovations, and best practices for improving senior care and quality of life.

The 2 days conference focused on advancing Geriatrics, Oncology, and Palliative Care through meaningful knowledge exchange and collaborative learning. The conference highlighted the latest innovations in elder wellness, cancer care, and palliative solutions, along with workshops and case studies on long-term care and dementia management. It also showcased emerging digital health and AI-driven technologies designed to transform senior and palliative care. GERIPALCON continues to shape the future of compassionate, progressive, and globally connected healthcare.

I was part of the GERIPALCON group -however, as I am currently working in Dubai, I was feeling little sad that I m missing out being there. So much of planning, so much organizing, arrangements, so many contacts, networking, patronage, collaboration of hospitals, medical institutions, companies and corporates, event managers, hotels, doctors and above all the dedicated staff of RMD, its well-wishers, family and friends.

One woman at the helm of everything working round the clock, instructing, leading by example and pushing her team every hour of the last 3 months and I was witnessing all this silently in the WhatsApp group! Suddenly 2 days before the conference, I get a voice note, saying that I should be the online panellist to talk about AI in healthcare. Though I accepted it immediately, I was wondering, how this is going to work in such a lively in person conference and me being a virtual panellist. But she said, you just be there! And I did! Happy I could and share my insights, though I still miss being there enjoying the adrenaline of meeting so many healthcare professionals and hearing them in person! But the joy of being part of something that is so special, is always cherished. Thank you team RMD and such a brilliant conference and thank you for making me a tiny part of it!

Hats off to Dr Gauthaman, Immaneul, J.S.Shekhar, Anbu, Logeshwari, Rajesh, Vadivel, Neela, Sushil, Rathi, team of doctors and staff of RMD for the best of the best you have given for this conference. RMD is stronger and growing only because of your dedication and commitment. Keep the energies flowing!

My inputs on “AI in Healthcare - From Diagnostics to Therapeutics, with a Focus on Geriatric and Palliative Care.”

Current status

Healthcare systems are under pressure from aging populations, chronic diseases, and caregiver shortages.
Geriatric and palliative care demand continuity, personalization, and compassion in areas where AI can act as a strong enabler.
AI is not about replacing doctors or caregivers, but about supporting better, faster, and more humane decisions.

AI in Early Diagnostics for the Elderly

Predictive analytics can identify risks such as falls, cognitive decline, cardiac events, and frailty before clinical deterioration occurs.
AI-assisted imaging and pattern recognition improve accuracy in diagnosing age-related diseases like dementia, cancer, and osteoporosis.
Continuous monitoring through wearables and home devices enables early intervention and reduced hospital admissions.

AI-Enabled Personalized Therapeutics

Elderly patients often have multiple comorbidities; AI helps design individualized treatment pathways.
AI can optimize medication plans, reduce polypharmacy risks, and flag adverse drug interactions.
Treatment decisions become more data-driven while remaining clinician-led.

Transforming Geriatric Care Delivery

Remote patient monitoring allows seniors to age safely at home.
AI tools can support caregivers by predicting care needs and alerting healthcare teams proactively.
Improved coordination between doctors, nurses, family members, and care institutions.

AI in Palliative and End-of-Life Care

AI can help anticipate pain, discomfort, and symptom escalation allowing timely and compassionate intervention.
Emotional and psychological support tools can complement human care for patients and families.
Focus shifts from “curing” to comfort, dignity, and quality of life.

Human Touch and Ethical Responsibility

AI must be explainable, transparent, and bias-free especially when serving vulnerable populations.
Human judgment, empathy, and ethical decision-making remain central.
AI should amplify compassion, not automate suffering.

Data, Privacy, and Trust

Strong governance is needed to protect sensitive health data of elderly patients.
Consent, security, and accountability must be built into every AI solution.
Trust will determine adoption more than technology.

Accessibility and Inclusion

AI solutions must be affordable and easy to use, not widening the digital divide.
Design should consider low digital literacy among seniors.
Community-based and NGO-driven models can play a crucial role.

Future Outlook

AI will increasingly move from hospital-centric care to home-centric and community-based care.
Integration with public health systems, elder-care ecosystems, and social services is critical.
The future of healthcare is predictive, personalized, and deeply humane.

Closing Thought

“In geriatric and palliative care, AI’s greatest success will not be measured by algorithms but by how gently and respectfully it supports the final chapters of human life.”

With the increasing health care needs, elderly care being the need and necessity of caregivers in the world of nuclear families and many elders living on own, palliative and geriatric care needs more attention, support and compassion. We need more of Dr. Re’s around and to create the magic of peaceful life in the last leg of life!

God bless team RMD!!!

Gallery of Few pictures of the Conference!