Govt Creating Platform for Tremendous Potential that Ayush has in Sikkim & Northeast- Sarbananda Sonowal

GG News Bureau

Gangtok, 8^th June. Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, announced major initiatives to boost the traditional medicinal practice including Sowa Rigpa, Ayurveda and Naturopathy in the state of Sikkim on May 21.

The Minister attended the National Workshop on Sowa Rigpa – the traditional & ancient medicinal practice of Himalayan people in Sikkim.

During this, the Union Minister announced that an International Yoga & Naturopathy College will be set up in Sikkim which will boost the medical tourism sector in Northeast India.

Underlying the importance of Sowa Rigpa & its further exposure among people for enriching their quality of life, a 30 bedded Sowa Rigpa Hospital is going to be set up in Sikkim.

Furthering the Ayush initiatives in the Northeast region, Sonowal announced the setting up of a Yoga & Wellness centre at every Gram Panchayat level in the state along with an Ayurveda Medical College under Satellite Institute programme in Sikkim.

The Union Ayush Minister said that the Ministry is exploring the possibility of setting up a Research Council for Sowa Rigpa.

The two-day workshop was organised by the National Institute of Sowa Rigpa (NISR), under the Ministry of Ayush in collaboration with Namgyal Institute of Tibetology (NIT) at Gangtok in Sikkim.

The workshop was attended by Practitioners, Academicians, students and other stakeholders of Sowa Rigpa medicinal practice of Himalayan people.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal along with other dignitaries virtually inaugurated the Sowa Rigpa College Building at NIT in Deorali, Gangtok. Speaking after the event, the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “the beautiful state of Sikkim has much to offer to heal human health & soul. We have much to gain from the rich heritage of Sowa Rigpa. All the traditional Indian medicinal practices can offer tremendously along with the modern medicinal practices to enrich human lives & improve quality of lives of people.”

He added, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has envisioned how the two practices can collaborate and work towards building a healthy and happy nation. It is his vision that we are working towards. I am confident that people of the region as well as from the rest of the country will benefit immensely from these steps that the Ministry of Ayush is working towards swift completion.”

Adding further about the role of Ayush in the Northeast, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Ayurveda & Yoga has given a tremendous fillip to the stature of India at the global stage.”

Under the dynamic leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modiji, we are confident that other traditional Indian medicinal practices will further embolden this achievement of India, he said.

Sonowal further said, “our great nation – India – has been known to heal both health & spirit since time immemorial. Northeast is the new engine of growth for India. Our rich flora can help rejuvenate the Ayush based growth in the region. We are taking steps to create a platform for the tremendous potential that Ayush has in Northeast India. We are confident that Sikkim and all of Northeast will seize this opportunity and become major stakeholders in unlocking the economic potential.”

The National Workshop on Sowa Rigpa was also attended by Governor of Sikkim, Ganga Prasad as its Chief Guest; the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang as Guest of Honour; Union Minister of State for Women & Child Development and Ayush as Guest of Honour, Dr Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai as Guest of Honour along with the Minister of Health & Family Welfare Department Government of Sikkim, Dr Mani Kumar Sharma; senior officials and other dignitaries.

The Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang said, “The practitioners of traditional medicine have substantial knowledge of herbs and their effect on healing organically. To encourage & promote these practices, the various initiatives announced by the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal ji here today, I want to thank on behalf of the people of Sikkim. Sowa Rigpa is one of the oldest and well documented medicinal traditions of the world. The people of the Himalayan region have been using this since time immemorial and its prevalence in treating & healing is still strong among this region as well as in Sikkim.”