India hosts workshop to decode Ayurvedic manuscripts for modern research
By Doruvu Paul Jagan Babu: Assistant Chief Editor
Bhubaneswar – Odisha: The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), in collaboration with the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM), Ministry of Culture, is organizing a “Transliteration Capacity Building Workshop on Ayurvedic Manuscripts” from March 13 to March 24, 2025, at the Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI), Bhubaneswar. The initiative aims to train Ayurveda researchers and Sanskrit scholars in studying, transliterating, and publishing ancient Ayurvedic manuscripts to integrate their knowledge into modern research and healthcare.
Government’s commitment to revitalizing Ayurveda
Union Minister of State (IC) for Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav, emphasized the importance of preserving India’s manuscript heritage, stating that Ayurveda holds immense potential for modern medicine. He highlighted that the workshop not only safeguards traditional texts but also empowers scholars to decode and apply them in contemporary research. He added that such efforts strengthen India’s commitment to revitalizing Ayurveda on a global scale while creating new employment opportunities for Ayurveda professionals.
Enhancing evidence-dased research in Ayurveda
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, stressed that transliteration of Ayurvedic manuscripts bridges traditional wisdom with modern scientific inquiry. He noted that equipping scholars with analytical skills would enhance evidence-based validation of Ayurveda, ensuring its application in contemporary healthcare.
Odisha’s rich manuscript heritage and preservation efforts
Prof. (Vaidya) Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General of CCRAS, highlighted that the council has digitized over 5,000 Ayurvedic manuscripts and catalogued many more. He stated that Odisha, with its rich manuscript heritage, provides an ideal setting for this initiative, which will help preserve India’s medical legacy while generating employment for young Ayurveda professionals.
Training Ayurveda scholars for the future
The workshop will train 30 scholars from Odisha under the guidance of over 10 eminent experts. As a leader in Ayurvedic literary research, CCRAS has published over 94 books and developed digital platforms like Ayush Manuscripts Advanced Repository (AMAR) and Showcase of Ayurveda Historical Imprints (SAHI) to conserve rare manuscripts.
Strengthening Ayurveda’s role in modern healthcare
Aligning with the ‘Gyan Bharat Mission,’ this workshop is part of a nationwide CCRAS initiative to systematically study and critically edit Ayurvedic texts. Such efforts will strengthen Ayurveda’s literary research, ensuring the relevance of traditional medical wisdom for scientific advancements and better healthcare delivery.
