AYUSH Grew Eightfold In Decade: Kishan
Kishan Reddy said Ayush had become a key driver of medical tourism, with India emerging as a hub for wellness treatments.
Hyderabad:The Ayush sector comprising Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha, and homoeopathy, has grown eightfold in the past decade — from $3 billion in 2014 to $24 billion in 2024—Union minister G. Kishan Reddy said on Saturday. He was speaking at the National Ayurveda Conference, Vapcon, organised by the Vishwa Ayurveda Parishad Telangana chapter at Yousufguda.
Kishan Reddy said Ayush had become a key driver of medical tourism, with India emerging as a hub for wellness treatments. “Over 100 countries use Ayurveda as preventive care and tourists come to India to experience it. Telangana alone has 420 AYUSH wellness centres, 440 dispensaries and multiple integrated hospitals supported by the central government,” he noted.
Calling Ayurveda “not just ancient Indian medicine but a complete philosophy of wellness,” Reddy described it as integral to the Indian way of life. He noted that India’s medical knowledge, preserved through the works of sages such as Charaka, Sushruta and Vagbhata, continues to guide global medicine. “Sushruta, known as the Father of Surgery, performed operations in ancient times, while Charaka contributed profound knowledge on physiology and therapies for humanity. It is because of such pioneers that India continues to hold a distinguished place in medicine and healing,” he said.
The minister added that India was taking Ayurveda to the world through research, startups, nutraceutical industries, integrated hospitals, Ayush visas for medical tourism and global wellness initiatives. “Indian medicinal products and startups are now in demand in global wellness markets, making Ayurveda a pillar of India’s soft power and cultural diplomacy,” he said.
He noted that the government is strengthening Ayurveda education and research through new policies, Ayush Gram initiatives and Centres of Excellence in institutions such as IITs and JNU. “This is the right time to integrate ancient Indian knowledge with modern science. I urge Ayurveda practitioners and researchers to publish their work in international journals and take responsibility for spreading Ayurveda worldwide,” Kishan Reddy said.
The two-day conference will continue on Sunday, with practitioners and researchers discussing treatment procedures for diseases such as Panchakarma, Shalya, Streeroga and lifestyle disorders.