Health challenges are being solved via holistic methods along with integrated medicine systems; Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi calls attention to the importance of building evidence-based research structures to play a key role in the 21st century. WHO is to set up the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in India: DG, WHO.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicates two future-ready national premier Ayurveda institutions to the nation. This step has been taken to mark the celebration of the 5th Ayurveda Day. PM shared it via video conferencing by dedicating the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur as a Deemed to be University by the University Grants Commission and the Institute of Teaching & Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar as an Institution of National Importance (INI).

Shri Shripad Naik, Minister of State (IC), Ministry of Ayush, Shri Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister, Rajasthan, Shri Kalraj Mishra, Governor of Rajasthan, Shri Vijaybhai Rupani, Chief Minister of Gujarat and Shri Acharya Devvrat, Governor of Gujarat participated virtually. He highlighted the rich legacy of traditional medicines that India is blessed with. This has got worldwide recognition, more at the times of COVID-19 for its health and wellness benefits endowing great properties, he added. The Prime Minister said that the focus has shifted to wellness and prevention, and the importance of integrated and holistic medicine systems for the overall health and wellness of the people. 

He highlighted that during the pandemic Ayurvedic products’ demand has increased across the world. Ayurvedic products’ increased by 45 percent in September this year than the previous year. He added that a considerable increase in the export of spices like ginger, turmeric, considered immunity boosters, indicates a sudden boost in confidence in Indian spices and Ayurvedic solutions around the world. The Prime Minister said that during the Corona period, the focus is not only confined to the use of Ayurveda alone but it is equally advanced research related to Ayush in the country and the world.

The Prime Minister stressed that Ayurveda is no more an option, but forms a fundamental pillar of the country’s national health policy and health interventions. He congratulated the two premier Ayurveda Institutes and urged them to work for building a new curriculum to discover and also match the new opportunities and challenges in the sphere of modern medicine. He urged the Ministry of Human Research and Development (MoHRD) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) to amplify postdoctoral and doctoral studies. Ayurveda turned to be champions for ‘VocalForLocal” around the world with its new developments in this field. We will become the ones to herald a change in the wellness and health sector around the world, he stated.

Emphasizing the necessity of wellness, the Prime Minister described establishing 1.5 lakh Health &Wellness Centres in the country as part of the Ayushman Bharat yojana. Out of these, 12,500 centres would be Ayush Wellness centers with a focus on integrative medicine systems.

Since 2016, the Ministry of Ayush has been observing ‘Ayurveda Day' every year on the occasion of Dhanwantari Jayanti (Dhanteras).

ITRA, Jamnagar: Recently built through an Act of Parliament, the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), is ready to emerge as a world-class healthcare institution. ITRA has 12 Departments,  three research laboratories, and three clinical laboratories.  It has emerged as a leading institution in research work in traditional medicine. Currently, it is organizing 33 research projects. ITRA has been created by conglomerating the cluster of four Ayurveda Institutes at Gujarat Ayurveda University campus, Jamnagar. It is the first Institute in the Ayush Sector, which has the Institution of National Importance (INI) status. With the upgraded status,  ITRA will have autonomy for upgrading the standard of Ayurveda education as it will render courses as per modern and international standards.  Further, it will establish interdisciplinary collaborations to provide a contemporary thrust to the Ayurveda.

NIA, Jaipur: An Ayurveda institution with countrywide repute, NIA received much appreciation with Deemed to be University (De novo Category) status. Inheritor of a 175-year legacy, NIA’s contribution to promoting, preserving, and advancing realistic Ayurveda in the last few decades has been crucial. Currently, 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 varied 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. Presently, it organizes 54 research projects.  With the conferring of Deemed to be University (De novo category), the National Institute is ready to reach newer heights by attaining the highest standards in tertiary health care, research and education.

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