Dr. A Sajikumar, Chairman, Global Ayurveda Summit 2019,

Prof. [Dr.] Tanuja Manoj Nesari, Chief Executive Officer, National

Medicinal Plants Board,

Dr. P.M. Varier, Trustee and Chief Physician, Arya Vaidya Sala,

Kottakkal,

Mr. Thomas John Muthoot, Vice Chairman, Confederation of Indian

Industry [CII],

Mr. K. Paul Thomas, Chairman, CII Kerala State Council,

Mr. Hari N. Namboothiri, Convenor, CII Ayurveda Panel 2019-20,

 Dear Entrepreneurs, young Entrepreneurs,

Sisters and Brothers,

Ellavarkkum Ente Namaskaram.

I am very happy to inaugurate the Global Ayurveda Summit-2019organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry [CII]on the theme, Mainstreaming Ayurveda through Startups, Innovation and Branding.

I am informed that this is the third edition of the Global Ayurveda Summitconducted annually by the Confederation, which deserves appreciation for its continuous efforts to establish Ayurveda as a scientific and holistic health care system.

As we are aware, Ayurveda is one of the treasures which had enhanced India's glory as the dominion of knowledge in ancient and medieval times. It has been a way of life, a philosophy and a science of healing and health-care for centuries.

Though the rudiments of treatment are mentioned in the Vedic Mantras, the term Ayurveda, appeared only later, in the Samhitatradition. Though its date of origin is not clear, this ancient system has stood the test of time, and continues to flourish in our land, which is rich in biodiversity.

When I say that Ayurveda has stood the test of time,
I do not ignore the fluctuations it had suffered over the years, in terms of acceptance. History speaks of the East India Company encouraging its officers to make use of local medicine and treatment, because it believed that India had drugs 'in far greater plenty and perfection' than England. However, history also points to the later decline of Ayurveda due to the stagnation of new knowledge, ignorance of practitioners and non availability of quality medicines.  

This, I would say, has always been a problem inherent in India; we had the knowledge, but were reluctant to spread it and we were often diffident to take it to the levels of application.

Despite these issues, Ayurveda has regained worldwide attention through decades of refinement, by ensuring systematic training and through timely response to the emerging demands for health care. 

Our policies have also helped Ayurveda very much.  For instance, our National Health Policy of 2017 ensured better access to Ayush and stressed the need to standardize and validate Ayurvedic medicines through effective quality control. Look at Kerala's Health Policy.

It seeks to strengthen Government Ayurvedic Dispensaries by making them Primary Health Centers with modern facilities and to promote wellness centres for Yoga in various institutions. 

Thanks to all these, today, the market size of the Ayurveda sector is over three billion US Dollars and it is expected to grow at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16.2 per cent.

Therefore, the aim of this Global summit to help Ayurveda grow as a Rs.50,000 crore industry by 2025 by promoting Ayurveda through Startups is certainly laudable.

I am happy that delegates from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, Gulf Cooperation Council and African countries and tour operators from 30 countries are   participating in this Summit.

This participation appeals to me as the rebirth of an international cooperation in Ayurveda, which began centuries ago, when the Dutch Governor in Kochi began the compilation of Hortus Malabaricus, the classical treatise on the plant wealth of Kerala, in 1674. 

The Dutch Governor, Van Rheed, had organized a cosmopolitan research team which included a local physician, too. That explains the Malayalam touch in the scientific names of some plants like ginger, drumstick etc.

As we know, it was Kerala's Muringa which gave the name of Moringa Oleifera to Drumstick. And Zingiber Officinale, came from Malayalam Inchiveru, meaning Ginger root.

Incidentally, the recent visit of the King and Queen of Netherlands to Kochi had kindled the memories of this international cooperation. I am happy that this Summit would be continuing such cooperation by giving our foreign delegates a clear idea about Kerala's efforts to modernize and thereby globalize Ayurveda. Many of Kerala's Ayurveda firms have set up facilities for research, development and quality control.

Kerala has also gone ahead in Wellness Tourism by setting a model to market the harmony of traditional medicine, natural beauty and cultural assets of various locations. I understand that the Government of India has promoted and replicated this model in States like Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand.

Undoubtedly, the major attraction of the Global Ayurveda Summit is Ayurstart, which is an Ayurveda Startup Competition to attract out-of-the-box Ayurvedic ideas from our young minds. Already, Kerala has one of the best Startup ecosystems in the country. I hope the Confederation of Indian Industry will encourage the young Ayur-preneurs through mentoring and incubation facilities, with the help of the Startup Mission.

I hope today's event would provide a platform to understand the investment, export and import opportunities in Ayurveda.  This Summit should help to position India and Kerala as emerging hubs of wellness and health industry. More importantly, the deliberations should help to position and brand Ayurveda as a solution for global health challenges. 

I also hope that due importance would be given to the skill up-gradation of the people who would work in Ayurvedic Wellness tourism in the coming days, because, much more than the infrastructure, it is the people's conduct that would decide the success of our efforts.

Our young Start up entrepreneurs should see this as an opportunity to further modernize the wealth of our traditional knowledge.  Traditional knowledge may be centuries old, but does not mean outdated. Traditional knowledge provides a foundation to experiment, correct and modernize. After all, it is only from the past that today and tomorrow can emerge. Therefore, let me conclude with an appeal to our young start up entrepreneurs.

ആയുര്‍വേദം നമ്മുടെ പൈതൃകം.

പൈതൃകത്തെ നാം അറിയണം, നവീകരിക്കണം.

ആയുര്‍വേദത്തെ നവീകരിക്കാന്‍ നിങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് എന്റെ ആശംസകള്‍ !

[Ayurveda is our heritage

We must know our heritage and modernize it

My best wishes for you to modernize Ayurveda]

                                                    लोका: समस्ता: सुखिनो भवन्तु ।

                                                              वलरे नन्नि

                                                               जय हिन्द ।

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