Azim Premji highlights education, healthcare investments in Jharkhand at Davos

At the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Jharkhand outlined its development priorities and investment approach during interactions with global business leaders and philanthropic organisations. The state delegation, led by Hemant Soren, presented Jharkhand’s focus on economic development alongside education, healthcare and environmental considerations.

During one such interaction, Azim Premji, former chairman of Wipro Limited and chairperson of the Azim Premji Foundation, spoke about the Foundation’s ongoing investments in the state. He said the initiatives reflect a long-term commitment to building social infrastructure in Jharkhand.

The Foundation is developing an integrated education and healthcare campus in the Itki area of Ranchi district. The project includes a university, a medical college, a hospital with a planned capacity of 1,300 beds, and a school. According to Premji, the focus of these investments is to strengthen access to quality education and medical services over the long term.

Premji also referred to the engagement between the Foundation and the Jharkhand government during the planning and implementation stages of the projects. He said the state administration had extended institutional support, which helped facilitate progress on the initiatives.

Addressing the broader investment context, Premji encouraged Indian and global investors to explore opportunities in Jharkhand, particularly in sectors related to education, healthcare and social infrastructure. He noted that sustained investment in these areas plays a role in building human capital and institutional capacity.

Jharkhand’s participation at the WEF forms part of its broader effort to engage with international stakeholders and present its policy framework and investment environment. In recent years, the state government has sought to attract investment while expanding public spending on infrastructure, welfare schemes and social sector institutions.

The integrated campus being developed by the Azim Premji Foundation in Itki is among the larger social infrastructure projects currently underway in the state. Once operational, it is expected to serve students and patients from Jharkhand and neighbouring regions, adding to the state’s education and healthcare capacity.