Context:
On the occasion of Dhanvantari Jayanti and the 9th Ayurveda Day on 29th October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation of multiple projects of the Ministry of Ayush at the All-India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in New Delhi.
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Prime Minister Modi inaugurated Phase II of the All-India Institute of Ayurveda which includes key features like a 150-bed Panchakarma hospital, an Ayurvedic pharmacy for drug manufacturing, a sports medicine unit, a central library, etc.
Moreover, to capitalize on the growing interest of the international community in Indian health and wellness solutions, especially yoga, and to boost R&D in the domain, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stones of two Central Research Institutes in Yoga and Naturopathy (CRIYNs) at Khorda (Odisha) and Raipur (Chhattisgarh).
Additionally, the Prime Minister launched four Ayush Centres of Excellence (CoEs), each targeting specific areas in health research and innovation.
- Centre of Excellence for Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru – focused on prediabetes and diabetes research and Ayurvedic formulation validation
- Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Ayush at IIT Delhi – dedicated to developing advanced technological solutions, supporting start-ups, and creating net-zero sustainable solutions for Rasaushadhis
- Centre of Excellence for Fundamental and Translational Research in Ayurveda at CDRI Lucknow – focused on advanced research in Ayurvedic botanicals like Ashwagandha
- Centre of Excellence on Ayurveda and Systems Medicine at JNU, New Delhi – aimed at researching the molecular mechanisms of Ayurvedic treatments for rheumatoid arthritis using systems medicine
The Prime Minister also launched “Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan,” a nationwide campaign promoting health awareness and highlighting the importance of holistic well-being as part of daily life.
About Ayurveda Day
- The Government of India has been observing Ayurveda Day annually on Dhanawantari Jayanti (Dhanteras) since 2016 to promote awareness of Ayurvedic principles, medicinal herbs, and lifestyle practices.
- This day honours Lord Dhanvantari’s contributions, regarded as the divine physician who received Ayurvedic knowledge from Lord Brahma, aiming to raise awareness about Ayurveda’s foundational principles, healing practices, and lifestyle approaches.
- The theme for this year’s Ayurveda Day is “Ayurveda Innovation for Global Health”, which focuses on fostering Ayurvedic innovation to address global health issues.