Dubai: More than 500 licensed Ayurveda practitioners from India are currently practising in the UAE, the Consul General of India in Dubai Dr Aman Puri said during the Sixth Ayurveda Day celebration at the Indian Consulate in Dubai on Tuesday.
The Indian Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy) observes Ayurveda Day on the festival day of Dhanteras which is considered the birthday of Dhanvantari, the deity of Ayurveda.
Observed since 2016, the day aims to create awareness in today’s generation on the power of Ayurveda and promoting the principals of wellness and healing.
The Indian mission marked the day with a panel discussion on “Ayurveda for Nutrition” in association with the Science India Forum, UAE.
Inaugurating the event, the Consul-General said the UAE government had been at the forefront of promoting traditional systems of medicines and established a separate department for the Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines way back in 2001.
“The estimates are that there are more than 500 officially licensed Ayurveda practitioners at present in the UAE,” he said.
Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, a popular Ayurveda healthcare centre from the south Indian state of Kerala, had set up its base in the UAE in 1995 and now has its branches across all the emirates in the UAE, Dr Puri said.
Ancient, well-documented
“Ayurveda is perceived as one of the most ancient and well-documented systems of medicines, which is more relevant today than ever before. Its holistic approach, whether for healthy individuals or for the treatment of ailments, remains unparalleled. Prevention of diseases and promotion of health is the main aim of Ayurveda. I truly believe Ayurveda originated in India but it belongs to the entire humanity and everyone must be able to benefit from it,” said the Consul-General.
Pointing out that the COVID-19 pandemic posed an immense challenge to healthcare systems around the globe, Dr Puri said the current healthcare strategies have primarily focused on either the pathogen or environmental factors.
“However, efforts towards strengthening the host’s immunity are important from a public health perspective to prevent the spread of infection. This scenario has paved the way for the use of traditional Indian therapies such as Ayurveda and yoga.”
The consulate has been promoting Ayurveda and yoga with the support of the vibrant Indian community by organising various events and conferences, he said.
The India Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai is also showcasing the benefits of yoga and will be hosting several programmes on spirituality and wellness in line with India’s traditional practices of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda, he said
“The Indian wellness and Ayurveda market is on its way to touch the lives of millions of people domestically and globally,” he added.
Turning to roots
In India, many people turned to their roots and started adopting a healthy lifestyle and Ayurveda during the COVID-19 pandemic, said K. Kalimuthu, consul (Economic, Trade and Commerce).
“In the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a havoc in people, economy and medical fraternity as well. It has put the world of medicine and preventive healthcare into a frenzy. Ayurveda has played a significant role in mitigating and managing the pandemic along with allopathy medicine.”
“Ayurveda has received more attention worldwide in recent times, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in giving a renewed meaning to the definition of Ayurveda proving to be a way of life,” he added.
Dr. Satish Krishnan, senior consultant neuro surgeon and head of the department of neuro surgery at Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah, who is also the head of Science India Forum, UAE, Dr V.L. Shyam, medical director, Dr Shyam’s Ayurveda Centres, Dr Mamata Radder, medical director, Sri Sri Tattva Panchakarma Ayurveda Centre, Dr K. Abdul Latheef, medical director, Ayurveda Health Centre, Juliot Vinolia, clinical dietician and consultant nutritionist and Dr Shareefa Thasni took part in the panel discussion.
