NITI Aayog Member calls for global standards to preserve India’s medical heritage
NITI Aayog Member (Health) Prof. M. Srinivas called for global standards, skill-building programmes and greater international visibility for CCRAS-NIIMH in Hyderabad.
Prof. Srinivas made the observations during his visit to CCRAS-NIIMH, Ministry of Ayush, in Hyderabad on Friday.
HYDERABAD: NITI Aayog Member (Health) Prof. (Dr) M. Srinivas has called for adoption of international standards in preserving India’s medical heritage and greater global visibility for the CCRAS–National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage (NIIMH), Hyderabad.
Prof. Srinivas made the observations during his visit to CCRAS-NIIMH, Ministry of Ayush, in Hyderabad on Friday. He was accompanied by Dr Shobhit Kumar, OSD (Health), NITI Aayog, and Dr Janvi Prajapati, Young Professional, NITI Aayog.
Focus on preserving medical heritage
Dr N. Srikanth, Deputy Director General, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), New Delhi, welcomed Prof. Srinivas and briefed him on the institute’s initiatives, digital portals, repositories and research into the history of traditional systems of medicine.
Dr Goli Penchala Prasad, Assistant Director In-charge, NIIMH, presented an overview of the institute’s activities, milestones and achievements.
During the visit, Prof. Srinivas toured the museum, library and research divisions and interacted with officers and project staff. He also viewed documentaries on Agalya and the Rani Rudramadevi inscription developed by the institute under the SAHI project.
Prof. Srinivas appreciated NIIMH’s efforts to digitise rare manuscripts, maintain historical scientific records and use information systems and research portals to preserve India’s medical heritage.
Training and educational tourism
Prof. Srinivas stressed the need to adopt international practices and standards for the preservation and maintenance of the museum. He also suggested introducing training and certificate courses as well as collaborative joint post-doctoral programmes to create skilled manpower in the preservation of India’s medical heritage.
He proposed positioning NIIMH as a destination for educational tourism, particularly for students and professionals from medical and allied disciplines.
The NITI Aayog Member also emphasised the need to enhance the institute’s visibility and global recognition.
He suggested that NIIMH engage with regulatory bodies, including the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the National Medical Commission (NMC), to establish stronger connections with students and faculty.
Mini-museums at premier institutions
Prof. Srinivas further proposed developing mini-museums at IITs and other Institutions of National Importance to disseminate knowledge about India’s medical heritage to a wider audience.
He appreciated the institute’s work in preserving India’s medical history and assured support for strengthening its activities.
In the visitors’ book, Prof. Srinivas described NIIMH as a “Temple” preserving India’s rich medical history and appreciated the dedication of its leadership and staff in protecting the heritage for future generations.
