Conference report: Dhara - Vision Ayurveda 2047

Abstract

The Dhara-Ayurveda 2047 conference was organized at the University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bengaluru on 23rd and September 24, 2022. This was a pioneering initiative of Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Ayush to raise public awareness about the contemporary relevance of India's medical heritage. The theme of the conference was to offer innovative approaches to strengthen and globalize Ayurveda by the year 2047 to commemorate 100th year of independence of India.

More than 2000 delegates from academia and industries attended this event. This conference featured a range of components including insightful vision talks, educational exhibition, interactive practical sessions, innovation-focused competition, cultural programs, and health assessment program. Distinguished speakers shared their forward-looking perspectives on the future of Ayurveda in the year 2047 with respect to personalized nutrition, Ayurvedic healthcare, interdisciplinary medicine, AYUSH integration, Ayurvedic industry, and other related topics. The conference provided a platform for students to learn innovative approaches in Ayurveda and also awarded deserving winners for their ideas.

Thus, Dhara-Ayurveda 2047 conference served as a valuable platform for sharing knowledge and exploring the future of Ayurveda in India across different disciplines related to Ayurveda like biomedical sciences and engineering, information technology, pharmaceutical sciences and folk healers to visualize Ayurveda in the year 2047.

Highlights

• •Vision talks: Vision talks proposed 2047 roadmaps for a number of future dimensions of Ayurveda viz. research and education, industry, health services, community health, indigenous agriculture (Pashu and Vriksh-Ayurveda), biomedical engineering and information technology (for AYUSH).
• •Exhibition: The exhibition had 80 posters on history and contemporary relevance of Ayurveda including a section on conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants.
• •Practical hands-on: Exposure to Swasthya measurement, Prakriti analysis, medicinal plant identification, Ayurvedic food recipes, Ayurveda therapies.
• •Competition: The competition was based on innovative ideas from students that were solicited for Ayurveda-inspired application in areas of health and well-being.
• •Culturalprograms: Cultural programs on Ayurveda interspersed into the day's program.

1. Chief sponsors

The Dhara event on the theme Ayurveda 2047, was sponsored by Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the Indian Knowledge Systems Division, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Ayush. The responsibility for design and execution of the event was given to The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Science and Technology, Bengaluru.

2. Industrial partners

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Atrimed, AVN Ayurveda, Brhat, Central Council for Research in Siddha, Centre for Indian Knowledge System, Himalaya Wellness Company, The Institute of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, IIT-Indore, Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, Jignasa, Kerala Ayurveda Limited, National Biodiversity Authority, National Medicinal Plants Board, Quality Council of India, Dhootapapeshwar, Sitaram Ayurveda, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Arya Vaidya Sala, Vaidyaratnam Oushadhasala, Yoga University of the Americas, and Zuame Wellness, were the industrial partners.

3. Inauguration

The Dhara conference was inaugurated by Her highness Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary - Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, Prof. Ganti S. Murthy, National Coordinator - Indian Knowledge Systems, Ministry of Education and Prof. Darshan Shankar, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bengaluru.

Vd. Rajesh Kotecha delivered the keynote address, and elaborated on the multi-dimensional perspective of Ayurveda in 2047. He also gave an overview of the various novel activities undertaken by the Ministry of Ayush, the 20 billion USD sizes of the Ayurveda industry and outlined initiatives that will help in generating evidence for enhancing the credibility of AYUSH and place it at the forefront of global research and development.

4. Details of the Dhara program

4.1. Vision talks

Vision talks were the most crucial part of the conference. These highly intellectual sessions served as the dessert to the feast. The vision talks by eminent personalities from diverse fields reflected their vision on Ayurveda in 2047. The vision talks addressed the need, the gap and the path ahead to shape the future of Ayurveda. A brief summary of the each visionary talk has been included in the supplementary file. Ayurveda has the potential to lead the path in personalized nutrition and future healthcare models. It is likely to expect a growth and might contribute to better Indian GDP in the upcoming years. The broad themes that the conference focused on envisioning Ayurveda's future in 2047 included: personalization using machine learning, integration with modern medicine,education, utilizing technology to analyse classical texts, industrial growth, and protecting as well as promoting traditional knowledge. There is a need for integrative transition of healthcare based on experiencial and experimental appraoch. Leveraging AI and ML to personalize nutrition and integrating Ayurveda with modern medicine to deliver better treatment approaches is the need of the hour. The vision talks also discussed approaches for veterinary care. Revamping the Ayurveda education should be focused by incorporating various teaching methods including horizontal teaching, and understanding the biological change via diverse lenses simultaneously.

4.1.1. Hands-on training and parallel sessions

Along with these insightful talks, the conference included the hands-on training and demonstration. An Ayurveda health check-up for general conditions was arranged at the Institute of Ayurveda & Integrative Medicine (I-AIM) health care campus. The health check-up included an estimation of blood sugar, blood pressure, bone mineral density, and Prakriti assessment. The camp also treated ailments viz, musculoskeletal conditions, anorectal diseases, metabolic diseases, dermatology, hair problem, respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, gynecology conditions.

Various parallel activities were arranged focusing on home remedies, Ayurveda recipes and training for identification of medicinal plants. The gist of these activities is as follows:

• a.Hands on training in home remedies for primary health care:

This training was attended by 120 participants, including students from Pharmacy and Ayurveda colleges, as well as the general public. The program emphasized the importance of self-reliance in primary healthcare and highlighted the abundant natural resources available, such as medicinal plants, animal products, metals, and minerals. Simple home remedies using everyday items like pepper, cumin, salt, ginger, tulsi, aloe vera, and mint were discussed for managing primary health conditions.

• b.An Ayurveda Culinary Experience:

A two-hour session was conducted to prepare and taste the classical Ayurvedic recipes focused on gut health. The session attracted over 80 participants. The recipes included Ksheera sarpi (milk with ghee), anaemia chips, ritu haritaki (haritaki powder with different adjuvants for different seasons), and yavagu (rice gruel). Discussions during the session covered various Ayurvedic dietary concepts and principles, including digestive capacity (agni), age (vaya), status (avastha), time (kala), place (desha), body constitution (prakriti), ritucharya, dinacharya, consumption of all six rasas in each meal (Shadrasa yukta bhojana), and foods suitable for daily consumption (nitya sevaneeya ahara).

• c.The training on plant identification and conservation:

This session was focused on enhancing plant identification skills and taxonomy knowledge, covering key aspects like identification, herbarium making, nomenclature, and classification. Field visits to the Ethno-Medicinal Garden underscore the significance of herbariums and raw drug repositories, with training for foresters, students, folk healers, and school children, aiming to foster interest in nature conservation.

• d.Brainstorming session on: “The role of Pashu Ayurveda (EVP) in reducing antimicrobials in the veterinary service and AMR by 2047”

The introduction of cross-breeding for milk production in India led to increased antibiotic use, resulting in high drug residues in animal products and the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is now a global concern, with 90 % of antibiotics ending up in the environment, affecting water, soil, and biodiversity. To combat this issue, traditional medicinal plant-based ethno-veterinary practices (EVP) offer an alternative to reduce antibiotic use in veterinary healthcare, minimizing drug residues and AMR. This session attracted over 50 participants, including veterinary students, dairy industry representatives, veterinary faculty, and NDDB members, all interested in reducing antimicrobial use and addressing AMR in veterinary healthcare.

• e.Interaction with traditional and tribal healers:

An interactive session during the Dhara Event brought together AYUSH practitioners, traditional and tribal healers, and ethno-pharmacologists to focus on human health. The activities included training in documenting traditional and tribal health practices, demonstrations of Varmam, Silambam, Kuthuvarisai, and Kalaripayattu, as well as the display and sale of Ayurveda, Siddha preparations, and herbal products. More than 400 healers from different parts of India participated in the event.

The cultural Program was organized as a part of the Dhara-Ayurveda 2047, in the evening on both the days to rejuvenate the minds of the participants. It was comprised of traditional dance form - The Dhanvantari Kowtha and the piece called ‘Anthem for Nature’ was performed by Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts. The performance piece depicted the evolution of plants, animals, and nature itself.

4.1.2. Student competition

The Dhara competition served as a platform for nurturing the seed of Ayurveda in the young minds. Students from different study domains collaboratively applied Ayurveda knowledge to propose ideas, products and services to improve plant, animal and human health.

A total 273 students registered with the submission of 131 ideas belonging to 4 broad categories (non-digital product, digital product, process engineering, and Ayurveda biology). The selection committee awarded the top 3 innovative ideas in each category comprised of entrepreneurs, scientists, vaidyas and industry experts. The judges were impressed by the enthusiasm and creativity of students. It is hoped that this could become an annual competition under the auspices of the Ministry of Ayush.

(Refer Table 1).

Table 1.

Winners for Dhara competition.

Prize	Category	Research Idea	Winners	Affiliations
1st Prize	Non-digital product	Pashu Ayurveda	Meenaakshi A P1, Kshamitha Jain V1, Ranganath C R2	1. SDM College of Ayurveda and Hospital, Hassan 2. Veterinary College, Shivamoga
	Digital product	Mrigraksha	Aparnapriya S R1, Aparnna M1, Shyamala Devi A2, Jayasri E 2, Rithika P2, Vijayalakshmi B2	1. Sri Sairam Ayurveda Medical College And Research Centre, Tamil Nadu. 2. PSNA College Of Engineering And Technology, Tamil Nadu
2nd Prize	Digital Product	Ritu -the menstrual blood analyzer	Dr. Parvathy S1, Dr. Aswathi Nair V1, Dr. Swathi Suresh2, Harinarayanan J2, Dr. Vandana V T3	1. Govt Ayurveda college, Thiruvanthapuram. 2. National Institute of Technology, Calicut. 3. VPSV Ayurveda college, Kottakal
	Non-Digital Product	Automatic Ayu Microbe Repellent	Robin Vincent1, Achanya T.C1	1. VPSV Ayurveda college, Kottakal
3rd Prize	Non-Digital Product	Bija Vardhini	Harsha S1, Kashyapa Shankara2, Harisha S A2, Prajwal B.R2	1. College of Agriculture, Hassan 2. University of Agricultural Sciences GKVK, Bengaluru
	Digital Product	Paricharak	Dr. Venkatesh S1, Abhilash B S1	1. Sri Sri College of Ayurvedic Science and Research, Bengaluru
	Non-Digital Product	Eupnea Inhalers	Shubha D.K1, Kanchana M Badiger1, Vinayak M Madiwalar1	1. TMAE society Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital, Karnataka
	Digital Product	E-AYURBAYA portal	K Niranjana Varma1	1.VPSV Ayurveda college, Kottakal

The Dhara-Ayurveda 2047 conference was a knowledge feast for the attendees. The proposals for integration of Ayurveda and artificial intelligence, mass-personalization of food and nutrition, new education policies, advancements in surgical care, Ayurveda veterinary care and AMR, telemedicine, medicinal plants conservation, integrative approaches in health care made by visionary minds inspired the audience. The two-day interactive event discussed the roadmap for addressing the future health-challenges of India.

Organizers and volunteers of Dhara Vision Ayurveda 2047 conference

Sources of funding

None.

Author contribution

SS prepared and conceptualized the first draft of the manuscript, MJ and PP meticulously reviewed and incorporated their edits and additions, AS gave inputs and additions in preparing the draft and final edits.

Declaration of generative AI in scientific writing

The authors used ChatGPT while revising the manuscript for language and grammar. The authors carefully reviewed and made edits in the AI generated results.

Declaration of competing interest

SS is a J-AIM editorial member, however she not involved in any processing or peer-review of the manuscript

Appendix A. Supplementary data

The following are the Supplementary data to this article: