Gandhinagar: PM Modi Inaugurates Global AYUSH Investment & Innovation Summit

GG News Bureau

Gandhinagar, 20^th April. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the Global AYUSH Investment & Innovation Summit at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

The Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO) were present on the occasion.

Union Ministers Dr Mansukh Mandavia, Sabananda Sonowal, Munjapara Mahendrabhai and Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendrabhai Patel were among those present.

The three-day summit will witness 5 Plenary sessions, 8 roundtables, 6 workshops, and 2 symposiums, with the presence of around 90 eminent speakers and 100 exhibitors.

The Summit will help uncover investment potential, and give a fillip to innovation, research & development, start-up ecosystem, and the wellness industry.

It will help bring together industry leaders, academicians and scholars together and act as a platform for future collaborations.

Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus expressed his happiness to be present in the state and country of Mahatma Gandhi which he termed as ‘pride of the world’.

He said that India’s philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam’ is the driving force behind the launch of WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) in Jamnagar yesterday.

He said that the establishment of the Centre is historic and will prove to be a game changer.

He appreciated the use of data and integrated information sharing systems in Indian hospitals. He praised the AYUSH ministry for fostering the spirit of collection of data for research in traditional medicine.

Noting the rising global demand and investment in the Ayush products the DG said that the whole world is coming to India and India is going to the whole world.

The DG concluded by thanking the Prime Minister. “Thank you so much for championing this important initiative. Which I believe that not only the Centre but your championing will bring significant change in the use of traditional medicines”, the DG WHO told the Prime Minister Modi.

He also praised Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth for his commitment to traditional medicine. He also noted the happy coincidence of WHO turning 75 in the year of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Pravind Kumar Jugnauth praised India and Gujarat for their contribution in the field of traditional medicine. He also noted India’s support in the health sphere in his country.

“This was one of the many gestures of solidarity for which we are ever grateful to the Indian government and particularly to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji”, said Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Modi said that the idea of the Global AYUSH Investment & Innovation Summit came to him during the time of pandemic when Ayush provided a strong support for improving immunity of the people and Ayush products saw surge of interest and demand.

Recalling Indian efforts to tackle the pandemic, the Prime Minister noted the promise shown by the modern pharma companies and vaccine manufacturers if they get investment at the right time.

“Who could have imagined that we would be able to develop a corona vaccine so soon?”, he asked.

Describing the strides made by the Ayush sector the Prime Minister said “we are already witnessing unprecedented growth in the production of AYUSH medicines, supplements and cosmetics. In 2014, where the AYUSH sector was less than $3 billion, today it has increased to more than $18 billion.”

He said that the Ministry of AYUSH has taken several major steps to encourage startup culture in the field of Traditional Medicines. A few days back an incubation center developed by All India Institute of Ayurveda was inaugurated, PM Modi informed.

Describing the current age, the era of unicorns, the Prime Minister informed that in the year 2022 itself, so far 14 start-ups from India have joined the Unicorn Club.

“I am sure unicorns will emerge from our AYUSH start-ups very soon”, he hoped.

Prime Minister Modi highlighted the importance of a facility to easily connect with the market for the farmers involved in the production of medicinal plants. For this, the government is also working on modernization and expansion of AYUSH e-market place, he said.

“India is a treasure trove of herbal plants, it is, in a way, our ‘Green Gold’”, the Prime Minister stressed.

“Our AYUSH experts are developing ISO standards in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Standards. This will open a huge export market for AYUSH in more than 150 countries”, he said.

PM Modi also informed that FSSAI has announced a new category named ‘AYUSH Aahar’ in its regulations last week. This will greatly facilitate the producers of herbal nutritional supplements.

Similarly, India is also going to make a special AYUSH mark. This mark will be applied to the highest quality AYUSH products made in India. This AYUSH mark will be equipped with the provisions of modern technology.

“This will give people all over the world the confidence of quality AYUSH products” he added, the Prime Minister added.

The Prime Minister announced that the government will develop a network of AYUSH parks to encourage the promotion, research and manufacturing of AYUSH products across the country.

These Ayush Parks will give new direction to Ayush Manufacturing in India, PM Modi said.

PM Modi noted the role of traditional medicines in increasing the tourism of Kerala. “This potential is there in every corner of India. ‘Heal in India’ can become a big brand of this decade” he said.

Wellness centers based on Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha etc. can be very popular, he said.

To promote this further, the Prime Minister continued, the government is taking another initiative for foreign nationals who want to come to India to take advantage of AYUSH therapy.

“Very soon, India is going to introduce a special AYUSH visa category. This will facilitate people to travel to India for AYUSH therapy” declared the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister also narrated the Ayurveda success story of Former Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga’s daughter Rosemary Odinga regaining her eyesight after Ayush treatment.

Rosemary Odinga was present in the audience and the Prime Minister introduced her as the gathering gave her a thunderous applause. He continued that India of the 21st century wants to move ahead by sharing its experiences and its knowledge with the world.

“Our heritage is like a legacy to the entire humanity”, he said.

He hoped that the Amrit Kaal of the next 25 year would prove to be the golden period of traditional medicines.

PM Modi gives a Gujarati name ‘Tulsi Bhai’ to Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus

Prime Minister Modi’s address ended on a very personal and interesting note.

Narrating Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus’s love for India and his regard for his Indian teachers and his affection for Gujarat, PM Modi gave him a Gujarati Name ‘Tulsi Bhai’.

He explained the auspicious and exalted status of Tulsi in Indian tradition to the audience and a beaming DG, WHO and thanked him and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth for their presence.