Dr.Sashi Tharoor on Future of Ayurveda

( Courtesy: This is actually a summary of Dr.Sashi Tharoor’s Speech that he delivered on the Commemorating Ceremony of Ashtavaidyan Shri.E.T.Narayanan Mooss, organised by Vaidyaratnam Group on 5th August,2021.))

The number of Ayurvedic users continue to grow daily in India and across the world. There is an unparallel popularity and mainstream acceptance for our traditional healing system, that should not come as a surprise to anyone. In 2019, Global market for Ayurveda products amounts to 4.5 billion US dollars and that number is expected to be raised upto 14.9 Billion US dollars in 2026. Its also estimated that in upcoming years, 77% of Indian households regularly consume Ayurvedic products in one way or the other way. Similarly the Export of Ayurvedic products from India on an average of 718 million US dollars a year and that’s expected to rise 20% annually. So,,,,, which state has been the engine for all such a remarkable role of expansion???? None other than Kerala..

Our state harbours 1400 Ayurvedic industries that amounts to total 10% of the whole herbal based products and treatments of the entire country. Vagbhata, the great sage who is believed to have visited kerala around 6th to 7th century BC had planted the seeds of Ayurveda and that subsequently fell on to Ashtavaidyas that today has become popular across the world. The subsequent editions and omissions has happened to this science and vernacular knowledge has also blended to it. Eg, The story of Velandi vaidyan and Muttikulangara oil. And now this science has reached onto a level that Ayuveda, Yoga and Bollywood has become the integral part of the cultural legacy that India export across the world.

Challenges to Ayurveda.

Attacks on Ayurveda persists internationally and doing greater damage, that we cannot afford to be complacent. Three years ago a paper authored by Dr.Cyriac Abby Philip in American journal of gastroenterology pointed out that the Dasamoolaarishttam caused severe stress to the liver of his patients. This article was widely circulated in India and abroad, leading to a question on Ayurvedic medicine’s effectiveness and safety. There was a universal criticism on Ayurvedic science from many corners of the world at that point of time.

In such instances, Whether we agree with that doctors findings or not , is not the problem to be addressed. The actual problem is nothing but the absence of credible information. In 2010, high level, British committee on science and technology headed by John Watson declared that Ayurveda is a system without any scientific evidence. He lowered Ayurveda than the hypnosis and crystal therapy. But it took outrageous involvement of the Indian Government and we provided valuable evidence to prove the effectiveness of Ayurveda , even showed its benefits our soldiers reap during high altitude sickness in Siachin glaciers.

Both these instances offer the same lesson that the Absence of credible documentation and case studies for the proven benefits ,is making Ayurveda dismissable at the international level. Documentation that complies with Global standards for reporting, and evidence based Research is vital for ensuring the continued success and universal acceptance of Ayurvedic treatments, so that No skeptical foreigner can discredit this science of life.

Traditional knowledge in modern times.

Although India has rich and diverse traditional knowledge , lack of comprehensive system to safeguard those who have over generations practiced, protected and owned these resources ,puts us at a disadvantage in a modern world. Ayurveda nearly caters 65% of our population in rural India But not enough has been done to protect its practitioners , and their knowledge. In the age of Biopiracy, the safety of India’s traditional Ayurvedic knowledge is no longer a question we can leave later to address. Understanding the economic aspect of such knowledge , there is a overwhelming trend to patent common Indian herbs in America, that gave us a wake-up-call, few years ago.

Infact, the concept of Intellectual property rights cannot be applied to a traditional knowledge, as no single person can claim the same which is perennial, evolving and flexible. What has done so far through Biological diversity act 2002, is inadequate. So it’s time to do further legislations to protect our traditional knowledge or else , misappropriation by others will lead us to a belated collective regret..

India has distinctive Traditional knowledge digital library which contains 34 million pages of formulated information, and over 2 million medical formulations, in multiple languages. In such a step, we need to classify and codify these knowledge so that it can be offered as a prior art to prevent granting of erroneous patency under the foreign IPM regime.

Need for Adaptation.

Its true to say that Ayurveda also has effected by disruptive market forces. Clinics professing to offer Ayurvedic treatments are sprouting like herbs in places as far fields as London’s and Italian dolomites. Although, Ayurvedic tourism is really a significant money earner, Kerala in particular, But what actually they are selling?? Spas and tourist homes, offer massages by a lady in traditional redbordered Kerala sarees, Jazmine in her hairs, is exactly just a package exotica, not Ayurveda as a remedy for diseases, rather an upmarket beauty treatment, a relaxation theatre for a jaded. Likewise, a five thousand year old science has become a diversion of choice of the era of 15 seconds soundbites. Pure practitioners regret this transient nature of AyurvedaLite as an abomination and they are naturally compelled towards the principles that are originally inspired the clinical practice. But , a midpoint can be found between such purers and AyurvedaLite rather than leaving the people towards such a non-genuine approaches. Traditional Ayurvedic practitioners also has to adopt to the time demand of the modern world.

Conclusion.

We can all reach a general consensus that we are living in a time of unprecedented popularity of Ayurveda, both domestically and globally as from Maimi Campbell to Madonna. We have to attract investments not just for developing treatment centres but also for Research and development. By Establishing the National Ayurveda University and National institute of medicinal plants , such resources will definitely set a goal of Olympic proportion. There is an extraordinary momentum across the globe , pushing Ayurveda to sanctify mainstream popularity. Now it’s upto all of us to guard the complacency and leverage it’s momentum, to improve the research and documentation , and streamline our offerings that really takes India’s Ayurvedic practices far forward….

Pranaam..