Kottakkal: Rajesh Kotecha, the Secretary of the AYUSH Ministry and former Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat Ayurved University, encouraged Ayurvedic practitioners and researchers to embrace modern science for improving their practices. In his address at the 61st annual Ayurveda seminar of Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala on November 10, 2024, Kotecha urged Ayurvedic professionals to incorporate modern diagnostic tools such as stethoscopes, sphygmomanometers, and laboratory technologies into their work. He emphasized that these tools are innovations from basic science and should not be avoided.
Kotecha also reassured the Ayurveda community that Ayurveda is evidence-based, countering claims that it is pseudoscientific. He pointed out the 43,000 publications available on the AYUSH research portal, highlighting the credibility and scientific foundation of Ayurveda.
In the keynote address, A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, Principal Secretary of the Industry Department, discussed Kerala’s increasing support for the AYUSH sector, with funding growing from ₹98 crore to ₹200 crore in recent years. He also announced plans to invite significant contributions from the Ayurveda sector for the upcoming investor summit in February 2024.
During the event, Kotecha released a book titled New Trends in Panchakarma Techniques, authored by Dr. Praveen Balakrishnan. The session also featured presentations on the Ayurvedic and modern medical management of avascular necrosis, delivered by medical experts like Sameer Ali Paravath, Gikku Alias Benny, and Nishant Narayan.
