Bangalore: Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the country’s first trans-disciplinary health university, Institute of Trans-disciplinary Health ScieÂnces and Technology (IHST), was inaugurated in the city on Sunday. The university will not only provide doctoral prograÂmmes, but also offer post-doctoral training.
“The idea is to create science out of shlokas throÂugh a holistic apÂproach and integrated traditional and health sciences and practices,” said Sam Pitroda, adviser to the Prime Minister, who is also chairman of the University. The Karnataka government took over three years to grant permission to set up the university, he said.
“India has over 6,500 medicinal plants spread across its ecosystem and traditional doctors do not get the respect they desÂerve. By proving courses on traditional medicine we will create a platform for them as well. MoreÂover, the cost of Western medicines has sky rocketed and the model is not sustainable. This new model will help in solving health issues of the poor at a low cost,” he said.
The entire setup will cost about Rs 300 crore and Pitroda along with its board of members has decided to raise money from various channels. “Twenty years ago, Darshan Shankar, vice chancellor of the UnivÂersity, came to me with this idea of creating a database of traditional, home grown herbal meÂdicinal plants when I was working with Rajiv Gandhi.
I had very little idea about the magic of traditional plants, but I did know that my mother gave birth to eight healthy children without depending on modern medicine. So, we decided to document and analyse these medicinal plants, but nobody wanted to fund us. Finally, we did manage to get some funding from the Danish government.”
Pitroda pointed out that the university wants to use IT in an effective way in traditional medicines and create an institute of excellence. “One should be able be to think of this institute as IIT for health sciences,” he said.
Darshan Shankar said, “A simple issue like providing clean drinking water can be done by keeping the water in contact with copper for 10-12 hours.” The University is planning to develop taluk level herbal handbook to help solve problems of the local people with plants available in their localities. Besides PhD, the university will also offer diplomas, certificate couÂrses, integrated and onlÂine courses.
