Latest news with #AyurvedicMedicine
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Delhi high court sets aside appointment of NCISM chairperson
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Friday scrapped the appointment of Jayant Yeshwant Deopujari as chairperson of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), holding that he did not have a postgraduate degree mandated under the law. A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tushar Rao Gedela held that Deopujari's academic credentials -- a bachelor's degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) and a PhD in Kayachikitsa -- do not satisfy the eligibility criteria prescribed under the NCISM Act, 2020. The Act requires a candidate to have a postgraduate degree in any discipline of the Indian System of Medicine, along with at least 20 years of experience, including 10 years in leadership roles in the sector. 'We are of the considered opinion that every degree awarded by a university after graduation cannot be termed a 'postgraduate qualification',' the court said in its ruling. It noted that in the Indian higher education framework, a postgraduate degree refers specifically to a master's degree such as M.A., M.D., LL.M., or and that a PhD does not substitute the requirement for a master's level qualification. The court drew a comparison with the LL.B. degree, which is awarded only after graduation but is still not considered a postgraduate degree. 'Similarly, the PhD in question here cannot be seen as satisfying the requirement of a postgraduate degree in the Indian System of Medicine,' it noted. The judgment came on a petition filed by Ved Prakash Tyagi, former president of the erstwhile Central Council for Indian Medicine, and Dr Raghunandan Sharma, who challenged Deopujari's appointment on the ground that he was ineligible. Appearing for the Union government, additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma argued that Deopujari's PhD in the same stream constituted a higher qualification than a postgraduate degree. However, the court rejected this reasoning, clarifying that statutory qualifications must be met in the specific terms laid down by the Act. Finding the appointment to be contrary to the pertinent provision of the NCISM Act, the court directed the Centre to 'expeditiously' initiate the process for selecting a new chairperson who meets all statutory qualifications.
The Hindu
02-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
IMA State unit opposes integrated allopathy, traditional medicine course
After the Indian Medical Association (IMA) at the Centre, the State unit too has expressed its strong objection to the Union government's proposal to introduce an integrated course, which mixes Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS), at JIPMER in Puducherry. In a press note dated June 2, Monday, the IMA A.P. president G. Nanda Kishore and general secretary M. Subhas Chandra Bose said ''mixopathy'' takes away the right of the patient to choose the care of their choice. Terming the move to mix allopathic and traditional form of medicine 'ill-advised' and a 'misadventure', the IMA said this system would only produce hybrid doctors who would be nothing more than qualified quacks. The IMA pointed India could achieve great strides in the medical field from 1947 till date due to increasing access of the public to vaccines and modern maternal and child health care and advancements in treatment of various diseases, including cancer. The health care in the country would be set back by centuries if the government goes ahead with its decision, the IMA said. China also experimented mixing modern medicine with the traditional one and 'failed miserably'. Mixing two systems, which are incompatible, will only lead to a catastrophe, the IMA warned. 'Having failed to convince the government, the IMA has no option but to take people into confidence,' the IMA members wrote, urging the public to oppose the move unanimously.
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
IMA Telangana opposes proposed integrated MBBS-BAMS course
Hyderabad: The Central govt's announcement to introduce an integrated medical course combining MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) and BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, has evoked strong criticism from the medical fraternity in Telangana. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The idea of the course stems from the National Medical Commission's (NMC) move of introducing modules on AYUSH to promote the integration of modern medicine with homoeopathy and Ayurveda. Typically, it takes five and a half years to complete the MBBS course, including a year of mandatory internship. Dr Dwarkanath Reddy, president, IMA Telangana, said that the integrated course could compromise the rigorous standards of modern medical education as it not only threatens modern medicine but also risks damaging Ayurveda by weakening its core principles. "We recognise the importance of Ayurveda, but mixing it with medicine will not benefit either field as it does not align with the principles of modern medicine. Will a patient be given ayurvedic medicine after a medical surgery? Patients will be the ultimate losers this way as it strips them of their freedom to choose a preferred system of care," he said. Earlier, the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) called the announcement a "regressive and unscientific move," stating that it sees no public health benefit in the govt's push for "mixopathy," a term coined for the integrated course. Dr J Isaac Newton, president, T-JUDA, said that the new course risks producing inadequately trained practitioners, who can also be called "qualified quacks." "This is because they will lack expertise in either of the two disciplines. We should take the example of China, whose attempt to blend modern medicine with traditional Chinese medicine failed miserably and led to the weakening of its own indigenous system. " Doctors also appealed to practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine to unite in opposing the new policy for the benefit of both doctors and patients.
The Hindu
10-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
From block prints to big dreams: Haryana women weave success
In an attic on top of a two-room house, 31-year-old Sundar is block-printing on a five-metre bedsheet with a maroon dye at Rohtak's Lakhan Majra village in Haryana, which lies around 90 kilometres to the north-west of Delhi. The room, open on three sides with iron mesh, allows gusty and dry summer wind to pass through but lacks a ceiling fan, lest the dye dries up. In another corner of the room, Kavita, 42, is engrossed in sewing phatkas (scarves), in a hurry to meet the delivery deadline. She walks 4 km to and back from her workplace daily from the neighbouring Kharenti village, as there is no public conveyance on the road to her village. Sundar and Kavita are members of a self-help group (SHG), one of the 50-odd,in Rohtak district that have banded together under the banner of Unnati Swayam Sahayata Samuh. The group of SHGs, which has around 300 women, are engaged in block printing, sewing, jute bags and jewellery making. The SHG's workshop is packed with wooden blocks, dyes, and threads. A huge 'Khadi Revolution' poster featuring an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi hangs on one of the walls. Woodenprinting blocks of Mahatma Gandhi, Modi,and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini areused for various clients. Stitching financial freedom Sundar makes around ₹9,000 a month working full-time. The hard work inspires her two children, 9 and 7, she says. She recalls how they once visited her workplace and were shocked by the difficult conditions under which she worked. 'Now when I return home, they rush to offer me a glass of water and are quick to switch on the fan,' says Sundar. Manta, 47, affectionately called 'Mantadi'(Manta sister) by group members, is a pillar of Unnati. She joined in 2017 after running a beauty parlour and shop to support her family. Her name is Manyata, but a mispronunciation stuck and Manta became her legal name. This year, Manta paid ₹4 lakh in semester fees for her younger son, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree in Bengaluru. She and her husband, Dhanvantri Sharma, now own a house and a commercial plot. The couple has already spent ₹60 lakh on fees for the BAMS course for their two sons. Kavita, meanwhile, is saving up to buy a two-wheeler after nearly fainting while walking home during Navratri fasting. She plans to borrow from the group's internal loan pool. Sundar's husband is a Class-IV government employee, earning a salary of approximately ₹20,000, so with their combined family income, they can afford little luxuries. 'We went to Shimla with the children this winter. It was our first family fun trip ever,' she says. 'Humne kabhi koi kaam chhota nahi samjha. Kabhi kisi order ko isliye mana nahi kiya ki woh chhota tha. Phir dheere dheere chhote orders se bade orders milne lage (Wenever considered any work too small. We never refused an order just because it was small. Then gradually we started getting bigger orders),' says Sundar. National spotlight On July 28, 2024, the Prime Minister praised Unnati SHG in his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, noting how their bedcovers, sarees, and dupattas are in high demand. The mention was a turning point. Orders have since doubled. 'At exhibitions, people say, 'These are the sisters Modijispoke about',' says Manta. The praise silenced early critics, too, including Sundar's in-laws, who initially opposed her joining the group. It was Manta who convinced Sundar's husband to let her work. Now, Sundar is fully supported. The group has repaid the ₹40,000 loan it initially took, and has earned space for permanent stalls at Khadi India and Saras Gallery stores in Delhi's Connaught Place and Hauz Khas respectively. With higher demand, the group now plans to have its presence on online marketplaces to reach out to customers across the country. Endured pandemic together During the COVID-19 lockdowns, the group fulfilled large orders for cloth masks from colleges, government offices, and a local sugar mill, despite a meagre ₹1 commission per piece. Some women were reluctant to accept orders then, citing a very low commission, says Sundar, but Mantadi convinced them. 'Those were difficult times. As orders for masks continued to flow in, the women's husbands and children, too, began to lend a hand. When people were staring at hunger, rendered jobless, the women made ₹600-1,000 per day, working for several hours daily.' Later, the commission was increased to ₹1.5 per piece, making the women scramble for the orders.' A shift in mindset Talking about a change in her husband's attitude towards her work, Manta shares an experience about an order of gift bags for CM Saini's programme last year. 'We had just six days to deliver it. It seemed almost impossible. My husband took me to a dozen villages, distributing the cloth to the women and later collecting the bags. More than 350 women were engaged. They put in extra hours. Their children and husbands, too, helped them,' she says. 'It's teamwork,' says Dhanvantri, a Sanskrit teacher. Though he couldn't pursue Ayurveda, he beams with pride that both his sons are now Ayurveda students. Manta travels across Haryana and nearby States to exhibitions, sometimes securing bulk orders. Earlier, she would send others, but now she prefers to go herself for quality control and to source materials. 'Sometimes we get bulk orders at these exhibitions. Earlier, I sent other women from the group, but I was not satisfied with their performance. Now I prefer to go on my own. I also need to travel to procure the cloth for the orders,' says Manta, adding that she was born into a Brahmin family, but people told her that she had the 'entrepreneurial skills of a Baniya'. Sundar's husband, too, has taken inspiration. 'When I went to Faridabad for two days for an exhibition, he took care of the children and cooked,' she says with a smile. At the bank, women are now the face of their families' financial dealings. 'When my husband comes with me, the staff asks, 'Are you with Mantadi?'' she says, laughing as her peers join in. (Edited by Sunalini Matthew)
The Independent
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
How Meghan and Harry celebrated son Archie's sixth birthday
Meghan Markle celebrated Prince Archie 's sixth birthday by sharing a photo and a heartfelt message on social media. The Duchess of Sussex expressed gratitude for the birthday wishes and revealed the family had held a party for Archie. 'For all of you who came to celebrate with us at his party last weekend, thank you for making his birthday so incredibly special,' she wrote. This celebration occurred after Prince Harry 's interview, where he discussed strained relations with the royal family and concerns about returning to the UK. In a recent podcast episode, Meghan discussed her use of Ayurvedic medicine during her pregnancies.
