Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA) at Jamnagar and National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA) at Jaipur on the occasion of fifth Ayurveda Day on November 13, 2020, via video conferencing. These institutions are expected to play global leadership roles in the growth and development of Ayurveda in the 21st Century Indian society.
The Ayurveda Day is being observed every year since 2016 on the day of Dhanwantri Jayanti. This year it falls on November 13, 2020. Ayurveda day is more an occasion of re-dedication to the profession and the society than as a festivity or mere celebration. The potential role of Ayurveda in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic will be the focus of this year’s Ayurveda Day celebrations.
"Utilising the untapped potential of AYUSH systems of healthcare for providing effective and affordable solutions for India’s public health challenges is a priority of the Government. Consequently, the modernisation of AYUSH education is also a priority area. Multiple steps have been taken for this in the last 3-4 years. Dedication to the nation of ITRA, Jamnagar as an institution of national importance and NIA, Jaipur as an institution deemed to be university is a historic step not just in the modernisation of Ayurveda Education, but in the evolution of traditional medicine itself. This will provide them with the autonomy to upgrade the standard of Ayurveda education, frame various courses as per emerging national and international demand and excel in modern research to generate more and more pieces of evidence," the Press Information Bureau said in a release on Wednesday.
At a recent Lok Sabha session, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that there are a total of 733 AYUSH-based educational institutes in India. There are 414 Ayurveda based, 248 Homeopathy, 55 Unani, 13 Siddha, and three Sowa Rigpa based colleges across states in the country.
