With rising life expectancy in India, there’s a growing need to understand not just how long people live, but how well they age. Addressing this, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, launched the BHARAT study in 2023 — a part of the Longevity India Program. BHARAT stands for Biomarkers of Healthy Aging, Resilience, Adversity, and Transitions.
Why It Matters
Current global health benchmarks are based on Western data, leading to misdiagnosis and unsuitable treatments for Indians. BHARAT aims to establish a “Bharat Baseline” — a comprehensive, India-specific standard of normal health.
What the Study Covers
The project collects diverse health data — from genetics and metabolism to environment and lifestyle — across India’s population. AI and machine learning help analyze this complex data to detect early signs of ageing and predict diseases before symptoms appear.
Goals of BHARAT
- Predict and prevent age-related illnesses like dementia and Parkinson’s
- Personalize healthcare for the Indian population
- Improve elderly quality of life through early interventions
Challenges
The study faces hurdles like gathering samples from India’s diverse population, ensuring sustained funding, and training AI models on Indian data to avoid global biases.
The Big Picture
BHARAT has the potential to transform Indian healthcare — from disease treatment to prevention — setting the stage for personalized medicine and healthier ageing for millions.
