Ayurveda Day was celebrated around the world on October 25, 2019, as a global initiative to promote and preserve Ayurveda. Ayurveda Day aimed to promote UN-WHO Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages.) by raising awareness about the strong role that Ayurveda can play in the realization of SDG 3. Ayurveda Day also coincided with the Dhanwantari Day.
Amrita School of Ayurveda was a knowledge partner for this event promoted by India Foundation’s Centre for Soft Power with support of the Ministry of Ayush and Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
The Ayurveda Day/ Dhanwantari Day was celebrated at Amrita School of Ayurveda, Amritapuri, and commenced with the ‘Dhanwantari Homa’ which was performed at 6.30 am. On the auspicious occasion, the students and faculty members paid pranams to Lord Dhanwantari. The guest lecture started at 9.30 am by Astavaidyan Prof. A. N. Narayanan Nambi (Director of Academic Services of SNA Oushadhasala (P) Ltd.) on the topic ‘Ayurveda in 2030’ at the Amritheshwari Hall. It was followed by the inaugural function. Dr. Rabinarayan Tripathy (Vice Principal Amrita School of Ayurveda) delivered the welcome speech. Presidential Address was delivered by Dr. C. Nagarajan (Br. Sankara Chaitanya) (Medical Director, Principal, Amrita School of Ayurveda). The chief guest was Sri. Kummanam Rajashekharan (Ex-Governor Mizoram). Addressing the august gathering on the occasion, Sri. Kummanam Rajashekharan emphasized the significance of Ayurveda in the present era. The guest of honour, Astavaidyan Prof. A. N. Narayanan Nambi, appreciated the efforts of the college in co-coordinating the event and also encouraged the students to make the best use of the opportunities being provided to them to learn Ayurveda.
A book titled ‘Shalakya Formulations’ authored by the two faculty members of Amrita School of Ayurveda, Dr. Siva Balaji K. (Assistant Professor, Department of Shalakya Tantra, Amrita School of Ayurveda, Amritapuri) and Dr. Aswini Belludi (Associate Professor, Department of Shalakaya Tantra, Amrita School of Ayurveda, Amritapuri) was released by Sri. Kummanam Rajashekharan on the occasion. The other dignitaries who graced the event were Dr. P. Ram Manohar (Research Director, Amrita Center for Advanced Research in Ayurveda, Amrita School of Ayurveda) and Dr. V. M. Nandakumaran (Principal, School of Arts and Sciences, Amritapuri).
A pledge taking ceremony was also organized. The chief guest Sri. Kummanam Rajashekharan administered the oath and motivated the students to make Ayurveda an integral part of their daily lives and thereby enable good health and wellbeing for themselves, family and community, in harmony with nature. The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Anandaraman Sharma P. V. (Professor, Department of Panchakarma, Amrita School of Ayurveda). This was followed by cultural events. The students participated enthusiastically in the following competitions: Dhanwantari Sthuthi Competition- Group, Ayurveda Theme Dance- Group and essay writing in English. Later, the prizes were distributed to the winners. The program concluded with the national anthem.
