NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON STANDARDIZATION IN AYURVEDA

Manipal:12/1/26:The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, successfully organized a national-level workshop in collaboration with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) through its Division of Ayurveda, Centre for Integrative Medicine and Research. The workshop was held at the TMA Pai Auditorium, MAHE, Manipal, on 9 January 2026.

The programme was exclusively designed for faculty members, researchers, startups, and industry representatives engaged in the Ayurveda sector. The innovative event drew nearly 180 delegates from across the country, marking a significant milestone in the collective journey towards enhancing the quality, safety, and global acceptance of Ayurveda.

The workshop theme, inspired by BIS’s guiding motto “Manakah Patha Pradarshaka”, highlighted the critical role of standards in harmonizing classical Ayurvedic wisdom with modern scientific and regulatory frameworks.

Addressing the gathering, Jayant Deopujari, Chairperson of the Ayurveda Sectional Committee, BIS, emphasized that the workshop represents an important step toward bridging traditional knowledge with contemporary requirements through structured and meaningful standardization. He underscored the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to position Ayurveda as a globally trusted healthcare system.

The inaugural session was graced by Dr. Sharath K Rao, Pro Vice-Chancellor – Health Sciences, MAHE, Manipal, who stressed the urgent need for standardization in traditional systems such as Ayurveda. He assured full institutional support from MAHE and its various divisions in advancing this national initiative of the Government of India.

During the inaugural address, Shrishti Dixit, Head of the AYUSH Department, BIS, reaffirmed BIS’s commitment to strengthening quality and safety in Ayurveda through robust and inclusive standardization mechanisms. She highlighted that standards form the foundation of trust, which is essential for the international recognition and wider adoption of Ayurveda.

The workshop featured insightful and thought-provoking sessions by eminent experts,s including Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya, Dr. Muralidhar R Ballal, r, Manesh Thomas, and Sh. Devendra Reddy. The discussions focused on multi-disciplinary collaboration, the role of standards in nurturing Ayurveda startups, and the responsibility ofthe industry in driving quality and compliance. Participants actively engaged in open discussions, sharing innovative ideas and practical insights on advancing standardization in Ayurveda.

Concluding the programme, Raghavendra Naik, Scientist-C, BIS, presented a comprehensive roadmap for the future. He emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary research, strong academia–industry partnerships, and targeted capacity-building initiatives to create a sustainable and collaborative ecosystem involving academia, industry, and policymakers for Ayurveda standardization.