Nagpur, February 12 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Thursday that veterinary practitioners play a significant role in the country's economic growth, and urged them to broaden their outlook beyond conventional responsibilities. Emphasizing coexistence, he said that humans, animals, and nature must live in harmony, and that society needs to seriously deliberate on how to ensure balanced coexistence. Bhagwat was speaking at a 'National Symposium on the Role of Canine in One Health: Building Partnership and Resolving Challenges', jointly organized here by the Indian Society for Advancement of Canine Practice and the Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University (MAFSU). "Earlier, we used to think that we, as veterinarians, have a limited role to play. But we need to change the way we think and imagine a bigger picture and a bigger role for ourselves," Bhagwat said, asserting that veterinary doctors are not merely experts in animals, but important stakeholders in society and contributors to the national economy. Referring to a recent Supreme Court verdict on stray dogs, he said that there were extreme reactions both in support and opposition, and suggested that alternative approaches could be explored to address contentious issues. In November last year, the Supreme Court had directed the relocation of stray canines to designated shelters after due sterilization and vaccination, taking note of the "alarming rise" in dog bite incidents within institutional areas like educational institutions, hospitals, and railway stations. Bhagwat also called for setting up a separate veterinary council at the national level. "We need experts in this field who will have their own council and administrative body to raise their issues," he said. He maintained that any field progresses when it is guided and regulated by domain experts, and expressed hope that veterinary professionals would receive similar recognition and autonomy. Noting that India is an agrarian country, the RSS chief said that the veterinary sector plays a crucial role in supporting farmers and those engaged in animal husbandry, thereby contributing to economic development. He also underlined environmental concerns at the global level, and said that India could offer alternative solutions rooted in its own thought process to minimize ecological damage while living in harmony with nature.