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All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) on Wednesday jointly organised an interactive meet for research and education in Ayush with focus on R&D, Education and capacity building at AIIA.

The meeting was attended by Heads of all Ayush National Institutions, Research, Councils and advisors of MoA, Chairman of NCSIM and NCH including five newly- distinguished appointed scientists Ayush Distinguished Scientist Chairs Dr Nandini K. Kumar (Interdisciplinary Clinical Research), Dr Arvind Chopra, (Public health and Epidemiology), Dr Sharmila Shekhar Mande (Ayurveda Biology and Basic Sciences), Dr Madhu Dikshit (Pharmaceutical Drug Development) and Dr. B.N. Gangadhar (Consciousness and Cognitive Sciences).

The meeting took place in the presence of Sec ministry of Ayush Vd Rajesh Kotecha, Special secretary P.K. Pathak and Prof (Dr) Tanuja Nesari, Director, AIIA, Prof. (Vd.) Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General (CCRAS) MDNIY Director Dr. Ishwar V. Basavaraddi and Prof. Bhushan Patwardhan, National Ayush Chairs, Directors of National institute, and research councils.

The objective of the interactive meet was to brainstorm and set goals to capitalise on the expertise and experience of the Chairs in academic and research avenues. The participants discussed the research education ecosystem in Ayush Colleges, in both graduation and post-graduation levels. The meeting was focussed on Research & Development, Education & capacity building in the Ayush sector.

All the Directors presented their success stories. Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary Ministry of Ayush, said: "Today, we all have gathered here to brainstorm that how can we collectively use the expertise knowledge of the distinguished chair and set up the goal for future. Pandemic was the opportunity for Ayush to develop their science and Ayush did it by developing Ayush 64, etc. I would request the leaders to brainstorm and discuss how we can utilities Ayush science for our Young researchers which can help the country and the world."

Pramod Kumar Pathak, Special Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, said: "I would like to congratulate AIIA and CCRAS on organising this meeting. This meeting will help researchers to get the insights from Ayush Distinguished Chairs and know their experience in their field. Initiative like today's was the need of hour. The Ministry of Ayush is working to promote Ayush's patents and researches."

Welcoming everyone, Prof. (Dr) Tanuja Nesari, Director AIIA said, "It is a historic movement when Administrators, Policy makers, Education experts, Researchers and distinguished Scientists have come under one platform. The opportunity is provided by the Ministry of Ayush and we would like to thank Ministry for it. We are blessed and honoured to host the distinguished chairs supported by CCRAS.

"We are working since ages, but this is our first official meet, and it is the biggest opportunity to showcase each other success stories and learn by fulfilling our gaps. This platform gives us an opportunity to create evidence-based Ayurveda creating disciplinary model and integration."

Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General CCRAS, said: "When we compare Ayush with Chinese alternative method of treatment, it has much more potential to go high. During COVID time Ayush system has registered more clinical studies, in comparison to Chinese system of medicines It is the reason we are here today, to generate pathways to expand the horizon of Ayush. It is high time to give much priority to research."

To carry forward the work, the Ministry of Ayush has appointed five Ayush Distinguished Scientist Chairs in the domains of Interdisciplinary Clinical Research, Public health and Epidemiology, Ayurveda biology and Basic sciences, Pharmaceutical Drug Development and Consciousness and Cognitive Sciences.