Ayurveda Day: PM dedicates 2 Ayurveda institutions to the nation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated two future-ready Ayurveda institutions to the nation on the fifth Ayurveda Day on Friday via video conferencing.

These are the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar and the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur.

Both 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 UGC.

The prime minister thanked WHO for choosing India for the Global Centre of Traditional medicine and said Ayurveda is an Indian heritage and it is a matter of happiness that the country’s traditional knowledge is enriching other nations also.

Modi stressed on the need to bring the knowledge of ayurveda 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.

Ayurveda is not just an alternative but is one of the key basis of the country’s health policy, the prime minister said.

Modi said that work was on to develop the National Sowa-Rigpa Institute for research and other studies related to Sowa-Rigpa.

He pointed out that during the coronavirus pandemic, the demand for Ayurvedic products has increased rapidly all over the world.

Exports of Ayurvedic products increased by about 45 per cent in September this year compared to the previous year, he said, adding a 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.

Director General of WHO 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.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Shripad Naik, Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot, Governor of Rajasthan Kalraj Mishra, Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat, were present on the occasion.