Mysuru: Former Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde has called for scientific research, quality certification and global recognition for Ayurvedic medicines. 

He was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on ‘Ayurveda Nano Care’, organised by GSS Chirayu Ayurveda and Yoga in association with Kadamba Nano Care at BSS Vidyodaya in Krishnamurthypuram this morning. 

“Ayurveda should not be seen merely as a traditional or alternative system of medicine. It should be promoted through scientific research and developed as a frontline system of medicine. Ayurveda is knowledge-based and has a centuries-old history. What is important today is to support it with scientific criteria, quality assurance and research,” Hegde said. 

Stressing that Ayurveda goes beyond herbal treatment, he described it as a comprehensive lifestyle and a science of living. He called for contemporary research to be integrated with Ayurveda’s basic principles, adding that the contributions of ancient practitioners such as Charaka and Sushruta could not be ignored. 

Referring to the global recognition of China’s traditional medicine, Hegde said Indians had a responsibility to take Ayurveda to the international stage. He stressed the need for uniform standards and quality in the manufacture of Ayurvedic medicines and said nanotechnology could help researchers scientifically assess their effectiveness. 

He also called for greater cooperation among international research centres, universities and other institutions working in nano-Ayurveda. Research was needed to understand how herbal compounds could be delivered through nanoparticles and how they behaved in the human body, he added. 

Dr. Vijaykumar, Dr. N.V. Krishnamurthy, Dr. Lakshminarayana Shenoy, Dr. N. Nagesh, Dr. A.S. Chandrashekar, GSS Group Head D. Srihari, Anjaneya Murthy, Hari Ganesh, Bharath and others were present.