Medical rehabilitation experts discuss future of robotic therapy and artificial intelligence in Kolkata

KOLKATA: A day-long conference celebrating 25 years of medical rehabilitation brought together eminent doctors, healthcare leaders, and rehabilitation specialists from across India to Kolkata.

The Medical Rehabilitation Centre (MRC) 25 summit, held in the city on Sunday, saw experts extensively discussing the safety, scalability, and future potential of robotic therapy and artificial intelligence in medical rehabilitation, particularly in the context of Kolkata’s evolving healthcare ecosystem. During the deliberations, speakers highlighted that robotic rehabilitation is poised for significant growth over the next five to seven years.

This growth is driven by positive patient outcomes, growing trust through real-life success stories, and the gradual adoption of advanced robotic systems by established rehabilitation units. The discussions focused on how precision-driven, technology-enabled care aligns with the core objective of rehabilitation medicine, which is to deliver accurate, effective, and patient-centric recovery solutions.

Key topics also included fibromyalgia, post-stroke pain management, HR technology in healthcare, AI and robotics in rehabilitation, bladder rehabilitation and Botox, bowel and sexual rehabilitation, tenotomy for enhanced rehabilitation outcomes, peripheral neuropathy, and several other critical subjects shaping the future of rehabilitative care.

Dr Mouli Madhab Ghatak, Founder & In-charge, MRC, said, “Some of the most complex struggles faced by patients are also the least talked about, such as post-treatment complications, chronic pain, and functional limitations that persist beyond acute care.

By opening conversations on these critical but overlooked areas of rehabilitation, we aim to bridge gaps in understanding, empathy, and clinical practice, ensuring that end-to-end recovery, dignity, and long-term well-being remain central to medical care.

” An illustrious panel, including Doctors A. K. Mukherjee, Former Director General, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre and Former DGHS, Govt of India; Jagannatha Sahoo, PMR head, AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Ravi Shankaran, PMR head, Amrita Hospital, Kochi; Sanjay Pandey, Head, AIIMS Patna and Vice President, IAPMR; Mrinal Joshi, Director, Rehabilitation Research Centre and Joint Director, SOTTO, SMS Medical College, Jaipur; Rajesh Pramanik, PMR head, IPGMER Kolkata; Goutam Das, Former President, Indian Society for the Study of Pain and Director, Daradia Pain Clinic; B.

K. Choudhury, Ex-Professor & HOD, Department of PMR, Calcutta Medical College & Hospital; and Mouli Madhab Ghatak, along with several other distinguished experts from leading medical institutions across the country, were part of the summit.