Vivekananda Vijnana Mission, the West Bengal unit of Vjnana Bharati, organised a seminar in collaboration with Central Research Institute (Ayurveda) Kolkata, AYUSH, Government of India and J.B. Roy State Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, Government of West Bengal with support of Directorate of Ayurveda, West Bengal and Drug Controller'sOffice and State Medicinal Plants Board, West Bengal. Some other Ayurvedic Colleges, institutions and organisations of West Bengal also extended their support to the event. Vijnana Bharati is the largest popular science organisation in India engaged in awakening the people about our rich scientific heritage and scientific achievements of past and present. It already held two World Ayurvedic Congresses in 2002 and 2006 in Kochi and Pune respectively.
Demand for declaring Ayurveda mainstream medical science was raised at the seminar on ?Ayurveda in Health Care and its Socio- economic Impact? held on March 29 at Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Narendrapur, Kolkata. Eminent speakers from the medical profession as well as other fields spoke on the importance of Ayurveda in the national life. They highlighted the fact that 80 per cent of the population in India living in villages take the help of Ayurveda for their health care. Hence, Ayurveda should be declared as mainstream medical system.
The purpose of the seminar was to popularise Ayurveda among common masses in West Bengal.
Dr Jayram Hazra, Director, Central Research Institute (Ay.), greeted all the participants. Inaugurating the seminar Swami Atmapriyananda, Vice Chancellor, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Belur Math, said Ayurveda is not just another method of treatment but a holistic approach to life. One can achieve health only when he is fit. He quoted Swami Vivekananda that India is slowly awakening from the slumber of oblivion and is rediscovering her glorious past. Out of past is built the future. Dr Shibnath Ghoshal, former Professor and Head of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Benaras Hindu University and visiting Professor to USA, England, Germany, was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony. Dr Sujit Kumar Bhattacharya, Additional Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), delivered the key-note address. He said the Government of India has given much importance to Ayurveda and has taken concerted move involving ICMR CSIR and AYUSH in this.
