Union Ayush Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav Chairs 27th Governing Body Meeting of CCRAS

The 27th Governing Body meeting of the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) chaired by Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav marks a significant milestone in India's journey to position Ayurveda as a globally recognized, evidence-based healthcare system. Established in 1978 under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and later brought under the dedicated Ministry of Ayush (formed in 2014), CCRAS serves as the apex body for coordinating, formulating, and promoting research in Ayurveda. This meeting reflects the government's sustained commitment since the National Ayush Mission (2014) and the National Health Policy 2017, which advocated mainstreaming Ayush systems within the public health framework under Article 47 of the Constitution (Directive Principles of State Policy) that directs the State to raise nutrition levels and improve public health. The infrastructure inaugurations — vertical extension of the Research Laboratory and Animal House at CCRAS-RARI Pune, Guest House and Residential Building at Ranikhet, and Bhoomi Poojan of a 50-bedded hospital at Nagpur — demonstrate tangible investment in research capacity. These Regional Ayurveda Research Institutes (RARIs) form the backbone of CCRAS's decentralized research network. The launch of CCRAS-PARAMPARA is particularly transformative: it aims to systematically document, evaluate, and scientifically validate India's Local Health Traditions (LHTs), ethnomedical practices, and traditional veterinary knowledge. This aligns with the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, ensuring that traditional knowledge is protected, documented, and sustainably utilized. India's rich repository of codified (Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani) and non-codified (folk, tribal) knowledge systems, recognized under the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) initiative, now finds a structured pathway for scientific validation. The digital initiatives — the National Research Recognitions Portal (PRAKASA for PG research excellence, NAVONMESA for innovation, PRABODH 3MT for scientific communication) and Ayur-dict Android app — reflect the Digital India vision and the National Education Policy 2020's emphasis on technology integration in education and research. These platforms democratize access to Ayurvedic terminology and incentivize high-quality research among postgraduate scholars. The Minister's call for leveraging Artificial Intelligence in clinical research, data management, and personalized healthcare signals a paradigm shift: from tradition-bound practice to data-driven, precision Ayurveda. This resonates with the WHO's Global Strategy on Traditional Medicine 2025–2034 and India's leadership in the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar (established 2022). Economically, the focus on youth innovation — Youth Research Fund, Ayurveda Startup Accelerator, Global Ayurveda Challenge — targets the growing global wellness market (estimated at $5.6 trillion by 2027). By fostering entrepreneurship and market linkages, the government aims to translate research into commercial products, boosting the 'Make in India' and 'Heal in India' visions. Politically, this strengthens India's soft power through medical tourism and knowledge diplomacy. Socially, it enhances healthcare accessibility, especially in rural areas where Ayush practitioners often serve as first-point-of-care providers. Future implications include deeper integration of Ayush in the National Health Mission, expanded insurance coverage for Ayurveda treatments under Ayushman Bharat, and greater international collaboration for clinical trials and pharmacovigilance. The challenge lies in maintaining the authenticity of classical texts while embracing modern scientific rigor — a balance CCRAS must navigate through robust regulatory frameworks under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act, 2020.