23-Oct-2022: 7th Ayurveda Day celebrated on a grand scale across the country
The 7th Ayurveda Day was celebrated today on a magnificent scale in India and at international level. This year’s 7th Ayurveda Day was celebrated with the theme “Har Din Har Ghar Ayurveda” so as to propagate benefits of Ayurveda to larger and grass root community. The six-week long celebration saw huge participation from across the country, more than 5000 events were organized by Ministry of Ayush institutes/councils with support of more than 26 ministries of Government of India and Ministry of External Affairs India missions and embassies.
The dignitaries present at the event included Shri Arjun Munda, Minister of Tribal Affairs; Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ayush; Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State of External Affairs & Culture; Shri Dr. Munjapara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai, MoS Ayush; Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary MoA; Shri Anil Kumar Jha, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Shri Pramod Kumar Pathak, Special Secretary, MoA and Prof. Tanuja Manoj Nesari, Director, AIIA along with representative of foreign embassies and WHO-SEARO.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, said, that Ayurveda is a science of prevention of disease. It’s an ancient knowledge and our research councils are doing some impressive research work in Ayush sector. The further said that the objective of har din har Ghar ayurvedic camping is to take Ayurveda and its potential to the masses. Ayurveda is now known globally and this is because of the continuous and untiring efforts of prime minister Shri Narendra Modi.
On this occasion, Shri Arjun Munda said, “Ayurveda is India's ancient tradition and wealth. Ayurveda can be nurtured in association with the people living in the forests. Ayurveda is the only medical science that talks about prevention of disease, not treatment after getting sick.”
Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai said that the Ministry of Ayush has accelerated the Ayush system of health in the country and Ayurveda is now recognized in 30 countries. He further informed that the current turnover of Ayush is $18.1 billion.
Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi said, “It’s time to appreciate the science of our ancestors. A science which is more than 5000 yrs old is celebrated on the occasion of Ayurveda day in the supervision of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He always promoted the science of Ayurveda and in last few years it has reached to its peak.”
Prof. Tanuja Nesari, informed that ‘I support Ayurveda’ campaign got enormous support from all, as more than 1.7 Crore people participated and more than 56 Lakh people contributed in various activities organized by different institutions based on Ayurveda Day in last 6 week long program.
A Memorandum of understanding was signed between Ministry of Ayush and Ministry of Tribal Affairs to explore the areas of collaboration, convergence and synergy between both the ministries for Tribal development while preserving the tribal culture heritage through evidence-based planning and capacity building.
On this occasion a book on ‘The Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India’, ‘The Ayurvedic formulary of India’ was released. To create awareness about the health benefits of medicinal plants, a species-specific national campaign on Ashwagandha - A health promoter was launched by the Ministry of Ayush. The first prize winners of five short video competitions were felicitated by the Union minister of Ayush and other dignitaries.
13-Nov-2020: PM dedicates two future-ready Ayurveda institutions to the nation on Ayurveda Day
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi dedicated two future-ready Ayurveda institutions to the nation on the 5th Ayurveda Day today via video conferencing. These are the Institute of Teaching & Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar and the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur. Both the Institutes are premier institutions of Ayurveda in the country. The former has been conferred the status of an Institution of National Importance (INI) by an Act of the Parliament, and the latter is an Institution Deemed to be University by the University Grants Commission. The Ministry of AYUSH, since 2016, has been observing ‘Ayurveda Day’ every year on the occasion of Dhanvantri Jayanti (Dhanteras).
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Shri Shripad Naik, Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijay Rupani, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Shri Ashok Gehlot, Governor of Rajasthan Shri Kalraj Mishra, Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat, were present on the occasion.
Director General of World Health Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gave a video message on the occasion and praised the Prime Minister’s commitment to the universal coverage under Ayushman Bharat and evidence-based promotion of traditional medicines to achieve health related objectives. The Prime Minister thanked WHO and the DG for choosing India for the Global Centre of Traditional medicine. He said that Ayurveda is an Indian heritage and it is a matter of happiness that India’s traditional knowledge is enriching other countries also.
Shri Modi stressed the need to bring the Ayurveda knowledge out of books, scriptures and home remedies and develop this ancient knowledge as per modern needs. he remarked that new research is being done in the country by combining the information received from the modern science of the 21st century with our ancient medical knowledge. Three years ago, the All India Ayurvedic Institute was established here. Ayurveda is not just an alternative today but is one of the key basis of the country’s health policy, The Prime Minister said.
Shri Modi informed that work is on to develop the National Sowa-Rigpa Institute for research and other studies related to Sowa-Rigpa in Leh. Today, the two institutions in Gujarat and Rajasthan which have been upgraded are also an extension of this development.
Congratulating the two institutes for their upgradation, the Prime Minister pointed out that they have more responsibility now and hoped that they will prepare Ayurveda syllabus which meets the international standard. He also called upon the Education Ministry and UGC to find new avenues in disciplines like Ayurveda Physics and Ayurveda Chemistry. He also called upon the startups and private sector to study the global trends and demands and ensure their participation in the sector. The National Commission of Indian System of Medicines and The National Commission of Homeopathy were established by the Parliament this session and National Education Policy also promotes an integrated approach. The basic notion of this policy is that the knowledge of allopathic practices should be compulsory in the ayurvedic education.
The Prime Minister pointed out that during the Corona period the demand for Ayurvedic products has increased rapidly all over the world. He said Exports of Ayurvedic products increased by about 45 percent in September this year compared to the previous year. He added the significant increase in export of spices like turmeric, ginger, considered as immunity boosters, shows the sudden boost in confidence in Ayurvedic solutions and Indian spices in the world. He said now, in many countries, specialty drinks related to turmeric are also increasing and the world’s prestigious medical journals are also seeing new hope in Ayurveda. He said during this Corona period, the focus was not only limited to the use of Ayurveda alone but used to advance research related to AYUSH in the country and the world.
The Prime Minister said today, on one hand, India is testing vaccines, on the other, it is also increasing international cooperation on Ayurvedic research to fight COVID. He pointed out that research is going on in more than a hundred places at this time including the All India Institute of Ayurveda in Delhi which has conducted research related to immunity on 80 thousand Delhi Police personnel. It may be the world’s largest group study and there are encouraging results. A few more international trials are to be started in the coming days, he added.
The Prime Minister said today special emphasis is given on Ayurvedic medicines, herbs as well as nutritious foods that enhance immunity. He said today, farmers are being encouraged to increase production of coarse grains as well as organic products on the banks of Ganges and in the Himalayan regions. He added the Ministry of AYUSH is working on a comprehensive plan for India to contribute more and more in the wellness of the world, our exports should also increase and the income of our farmers should also increase. He pointed out that after the start of the COVID pandemic, the prices of Ayurvedic herbs like Ashwagandha, Giloy, Tulsi etc. have increased a lot. The price of Ashwagandha has more than doubled compared to last year and its direct benefit is reaching our farmers cultivating these herbs.
The Prime Minister urged the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of AYUSH or other departments, to work together to increase awareness of the usefulness of many herbs available in India. He stressed that the development of the entire ecosystem related to Ayurveda will also promote tourism related to health and wellness in the country. He wished that the two institutions inaugurated today in Jamnagar and Jaipur will prove beneficial in this direction as well.
ITRA, Jamnagar: Recently created through an Act of Parliament, the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), is poised to emerge as a world class healthcare institution. ITRA has 12 Departments, three clinical laboratories and three research laboratories. It is also a leader in research work in traditional medicine, and presently, it is conducting 33 research projects. ITRA has been formed by conglomerating the cluster of four Ayurveda Institutes at Gujarat Ayurveda University campus, Jamnagar. It is the first Institute in Ayush Sector having the Institution of National Importance (INI) status. With the upgraded status, ITRA will have autonomy to upgrade the standard of Ayurveda education as it would offer courses as per modern, international standards. Further, it will forge interdisciplinary collaborations to give a contemporary thrust to Ayurveda.
NIA, Jaipur: An Ayurveda institution with country wide repute, NIA got a shot in the arm with Deemed to be University (De novo Category) status. Inheritor of a 175-year legacy, NIA’s contribution to preserving, promoting and advancing authentic Ayurveda in the last few decades has been significant. Presently NIA possesses 14 different departments. The institute has a very good student teacher ratio with a total intake of 955 students and 75 faculties during 2019-20. It runs numerous courses in Ayurveda ranging from certificate to doctoral level. With state-of-the-art lab facilities, NIA has also been a pioneer in research activities. At present, it conducts 54 different research projects. With the conferring of Deemed to be University (De novo category), the National Institute is set to reach new heights by achieving highest standards in tertiary health care, education and research.
15-Oct-2020: ‘Ayurveda for Covid-19' to be the main theme of 5th Ayurveda Day
Potential role of Ayurveda in the management of the Covid 19 pandemic will be the focus of this year's 'Ayurveda Day' observation. The Ayurveda Day is being observed every year from 2016, on the day of Dhanvantri Jayanti. This year it falls on 13th November 2020.
The Objective of Ayurveda Day is to focus on strengths of Ayurveda and its unique treatment principles, to work towards reducing the burden of disease and related mortality by utilising the potential of Ayurveda, to tap into the potential of Ayurveda to contribute towards National Health Policy and National Health programmes, and to promote Ayurvedic principles of healing in society. Thus, Ayurveda Day is more an occasion of re-dedication to the profession and the society, than one of festivities or celebrations.
The Ministry of Ayush, has decided to organise various activities marking the 5th 'Ayurveda Day', with a special focus on concerns related to the present pandemic and how Ayurveda can help in immunity building in this context.
A webinar on the theme of 'Ayurveda for Covid-19 Pandemic' will be organised on 'Ayurveda Day.' It aims to be an occasion of virtual information dissemination about the various initiatives of the Ayurveda discipline to mitigate Covid 19 through. About 1.5 lakh participants from all over the world are expected to attend the webinar. The Ministry of Ayush has also requested embassies/missions abroad to observe the 'Ayurveda Day' with appropriate activities that would engage the public.
Apart from the Webinar, various other activities are also planned to mark the observation. Interactive webinars with BIMSTEC and IBSA countries in the second half of October, and interactive webinar for industry in association with the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Exim Bank on export of Ayurveda products have been planned.
Different State and UT Governments are also organising events like webinars, radio talk, quiz and health camps on the theme of 'Ayurveda for Covid-19 Pandemic' as a part of Ayurveda Day observation. Publicising the events widely in electronic and print media and engaging Ayurveda colleges, Ayurveda Drug Manufacturing Associations, Ayurveda Practitioners Association, State PMUs of NHM/NAM and engaging NGOs such as Rotary Club and Lions Club for various activities are also being planned.
Ayurveda, the original healthcare tradition of humanity, is not just a medical system, but a manifestation of our symbiotic relationship with nature. It is a well-documented systems of healthcare, wherein prevention of disease and promotion of health are both given due consideration.