New Delhi: The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated the International Conference on Unani Medicine, organized by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, on the occasion of Unani Day.
The event, held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, was also attended by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, and other key officials, including Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare.
In her address, President Murmu paid tribute to Hakim Ajmal Khan, a freedom fighter, educationist, and prominent Unani physician, and congratulated CCRUM for its significant contributions to human health through Unani medicine. She described Unani Medicine as a system based on ancient wisdom that has been enriched over centuries and exemplifies the integration of tradition and innovation. She emphasized that innovation is crucial to ensure the continued relevance of Unani Medicine in modern times.
The theme of the conference, “Innovations in Unani Medicine for Integrative Health Solutions – A Way Forward,” was highlighted as especially pertinent in today’s rapidly changing world. President Murmu stressed that such innovations will help increase the global acceptance and recognition of Unani Medicine.
She noted the Government of India’s efforts through the Ministry of Ayush to support and promote Unani medicine. India, she pointed out, has the largest network of educational, research, healthcare, and pharmaceutical institutions dedicated to Unani Medicine. The Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), with its network of 24 peripheral institutes, plays a key role in high-quality research and in advancing Unani Medicine.
President Murmu expressed her confidence that the conference would foster meaningful dialogues and collaborative action, significantly contributing to the future of Unani Medicine and its integration into mainstream healthcare. She also launched a short video on recent initiatives by CCRUM.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, highlighted the importance of modernizing Unani medicine through molecular biology, Artificial Intelligence, and advanced research to strengthen its evidence-based credibility and global reach.
Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State for Ayush, emphasized the need to integrate traditional knowledge with modern science to redefine the role of Unani Medicine in promoting a healthier and more sustainable world.
The event was attended by international delegates from nine countries, as well as national delegates from various reputed institutions. Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, Dr. M. A. Qasmi, Advisor (Unani) at the Ministry of Ayush, Dr. N. Zaheer Ahmed, Director General of CCRUM, and several other dignitaries were also present.
