New Delhi, April 06, 2026: The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), in collaboration with the Gut Microbiota and Probiotic Science Foundation (India), hosted the 16th India Probiotic Symposium on March 27–28, 2026 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Auditorium, AIIMS, New Delhi. The symposium, themed “Gut Microbiome and Probiotics: Impact from Cradle to Centenarians,” brought together leading clinicians, researchers and global experts, to deliberate on the expanding role of microbiome science, in preventive and clinical healthcare.
The program commenced with a Welcome Note by Prof. N.K. Ganguly, President, Gut Microbiota and Probiotic Science Foundation (India), Former Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research, and Senior Advisor, Global Health Strategies, New Delhi, India, who set the tone for the symposium by highlighting the growing significance of microbiome science in shaping the future of preventive healthcare and clinical practice.
The Chief Guest Address by Shri Rajiv Gauba, Member, NITI Aayog highlighted the critical role of the gut microbiome in strengthening immunity, supporting metabolism and advancing preventive healthcare in India. He cautioned that the country’s changing dietary patterns, particularly the increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, could have far-reaching consequences on long-term public health and national productivity.
Linking health to national development, Shri Gauba ji noted that investing in healthcare is essential for building a productive workforce and realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat. Citing reforms such as Ayushman Bharat, Jan Aushadhi and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, he acknowledged their role in improving healthcare access and reducing expenditure, while also stressing the need to address persistent gaps in affordability and accessibility. He further urged the medical and scientific community to promote generic medicines, leverage digital health and telemedicine, counter misinformation in the probiotics space, and integrate India’s traditional knowledge systems with cutting-edge genomics to position the country as a leader in translational microbiome research.
A key academic highlight of the symposium was the session on “Interpreting a Gut Microbiome Study – What the Data Really Means?” delivered by Prof. Vineet Ahuja, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. The session drew attention to the growing importance of interpreting microbiome data with scientific rigor and clinical relevance, particularly as microbiome-based interventions continue to gain traction in preventive and personalized healthcare.
Dr. Neerja Hajela, General Secretary, Gut Microbiota and Probiotic Science Foundation (India) emphasized that the two-day symposium will feature scientific presentations highlighting gut microbial changes across various stages of the human lifecycle and also growing interest in microbiome-based interventions in preventive healthcare. Deliberations will also include discussions about the impact of diet and lifestyle on gut ecology, and the role of microbiome and probiotic science in combating conditions such as malnutrition, obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, and age-related health challenges.
The symposium also offered a window of opportunity to young researchers to share and discuss their research as well as a face – face interaction with stalwarts in the field. With more than nineteen (19) National and International experts deliberating and sharing the latest science, the 16th India Probiotic Symposium served as an important platform to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and accelerate the translation of microbiome research into real-world clinical practice. As gut health increasingly emerges as a key pillar of preventive medicine, the symposium reinforced the need for sustained scientific dialogue, public awareness and innovation to improve health outcomes across the lifespan.
