11th Ayurveda Day

Key Highlights:

• India celebrated the 11th Ayurveda Day, marking a decade of integrating the 5,000-year-old healing system into modern healthcare.
• The National Ayush Mission (NAM) and National Health Mission (NHM) are expanding Ayush infrastructure, including 12,260 functional Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Ayush).
• eSanjeevani telemedicine platform offers Ayush OPD services to over 50 crore patients, and IRDAI mandates insurance coverage for Ayush treatments.
• Ayurveda's terms are now internationally recognized through its inclusion in the WHO International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11 Module).
• Research and development are boosted by schemes like AYURGYAN and AYUR SWASTHYA Yojana, and institutions like CCRAS and the SPARK Programme.
• Regulatory standards are strengthened by the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940, GMP, e-Aushadhi portal, and FSSAI's Ayurveda Aahara regulations.
• India is expanding global partnerships, hosting the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine (2025) and introducing Ayush Visa categories (M-3 for patients, M-4 for caregivers).

Detailed Insights:

• Ayurveda, rooted in the Rigveda, aims for holistic health by balancing bio-energies, metabolic fire, tissues, and waste elimination, alongside a serene mind, body, and spirit.
• The government's "whole-of-government approach" integrates Ayurveda with modern medicine through upgraded education, evidence-based R&D, drug standards, and global outreach.
• Over ₹6,406.99 crore was released through NAM (2014-15 to 2025-26) to states/UTs for integrating Ayush healthcare into conventional systems.
• Ayush services are now available in 13,249 public health facilities, including PHCs, CHCs, and District Hospitals, with 25,322 Ayush doctors funded.
• Departments of Integrative Medicine and extended OPD services are established in central government hospitals like Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge Medical College.
• IRDAI's 2024 mandate requires all insurers to cover Ayush treatments, with the All-India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) signing a common empanelment MoU with 32 general insurance companies.
• Inclusion in WHO ICD-11 Module allows global recording of Ayush diagnoses, facilitating insurance processing, research, and policy-making.
• Ayurveda education is expanding with 593 colleges, 45,245 undergraduate, and 5,673 postgraduate seats, supported by NAM for new institutions.
• AYURGYAN scheme (2021-22) provides financial backing for R&D, with Ayurveda receiving ₹9.38 crore for 17 projects, focusing on safety and efficacy dossiers.
• AYUR SWASTHYA Yojana (2021-2026) supports Ayush clinical and drug research, establishing 28 Centres of Excellence, 22 of which are Ayurveda-centric.
• CCRAS leads research through 30 institutes, fostering capacity via fellowships and the SPARK Programme for undergraduate students.
• Anuvadini AI partnership translates CCRAS research into 13 regional Indian languages, democratizing access to scientific findings.
• Ayurvedic medicines are regulated under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940, requiring GMP adherence, safety proof, and pharmacopoeia standards, with CDSCO oversight.
• The e-Aushadhi portal streamlines drug manufacturing license applications, and FSSAI introduced Ayurveda Aahara regulations for traditional dietary items.
• India has 27 country-to-country MoUs for traditional medicine cooperation and 46 Ayush Information Cells across 43 foreign nations.
• The Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine (2025) in New Delhi adopted the Delhi Declaration, promoting traditional medicine in primary healthcare.
• The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, serves as a key research and policy hub.
• The Union Budget 2026-27 allocated ₹4,408 crores to the Ministry of Ayush, including funds for three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda (AIIA).

Key Concepts Involved:

• Ayurveda: An ancient Indian holistic healing system, over 5,000 years old, focusing on balancing the body, mind, and spirit for health.
• National Ayush Mission (NAM): A flagship scheme by the Ministry of Ayush to promote Ayush systems, including infrastructure development, education, and quality control.
• Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Ayush): Upgraded health and wellness centers that integrate Ayush services into primary healthcare, supported by both NAM and NHM.
• WHO ICD-11 Module: The World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision, which now includes Ayurveda terms for global standardization of diagnoses.