New Delhi, Aug 26 (UNI) Announcing the theme ‘Ayurveda for People & Planet’, for this year’s September 23 celebration for Ayurveda Day, union Minister of State for Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav, said, “Ayurveda is not merely a healthcare system, but a life science rooted in harmony between the individual and the environment.
“By assigning a fixed date to Ayurveda Day, India has provided Ayurveda a universal calendar identity. The theme reflects our collective resolve to harness Ayurveda’s potential for global wellbeing and ecological health.”
This is for the first time, the government has fixed September 23 as the annual date to observe Ayurveda Day starting from 2025.
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, highlighted the growing impact of Ayurveda Day since its launch in 2016. “It has evolved into a global movement celebrating India’s traditional knowledge,” he stated. He further noted that the first all-India NSSO survey confirmed Ayurveda as the most widely used system of treatment in both rural and urban India.
“The theme for 2025 underscores our commitment to promoting holistic health and environmental balance,” he added, as per a statement here.
As per the survey, about 95% of Indians aged 15 and above are aware of Ayush system of treatment, and on average, a rural Indian spends Rs 472 on alternative medicine in a year compared to their urban counterpart’s Rs 574.
National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in its survey from July 2022 to June 2023 found about 95% of men and women aged 15 years and above were aware of Ayush (ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy) in rural areas in comparison to 96% in urban areas.
The survey also revealed that ayurveda is the preferred traditional medicine system in both rural and urban India, primarily used for rejuvenation or preventive purposes, followed by therapeutic use.
The celebrations will feature extensive awareness campaigns, youth engagement programmes, wellness consultations, and international collaborations, coordinated by the Ministry and its affiliated institutions.
In 2024, over 150 countries participated in Ayurveda Day activities, signalling the growing international acceptance of Ayurveda, said the statement.
