KOCHI:The state government is set to put its healthy credentials in Ayurveda to good use and transform Kerala into an ‘Ayurveda hub’, said health minister K K Shailaja in Kochi on Thursday.
The minister was speaking while inaugurating the year-long silver jubilee celebrations of Punarnava Hospital at Hotel Le Meridien.
To start with, the government will take the initiative to set up an ayurveda research centre at Padiyoor-Karyad village panchayat on 300 acres. The land identified for the project is on the banks of Irikkur River. The international research centre will also have a museum dedicated for Ayurveda. The government has already started acquiring land for the project. The foundation stone for the project will be laid in two months and the work on the project will be completed in three years, the minister said.
The Minister, however, informed that the Ayurveda conclave the government was planning to conduct with private sector participation in Kochi, to tap the international market for the ancient treatment system, has been postponed. The event will now be conducted after the monsoon season, she said.
Dr M R Vasudevan Namboodiri, director of Punarnava presided over the function. The Continuing Ayurveda Awareness Programme Award was presented to the Saudi Arabia-based Al Hokair Group Charman Shiekh Abdul Mohisin Al Hokair by the minister. The medical tourism award was presented to K A Aboobacker Kizakkekara.
Senior Ayurveda teachers Dr M R Vasudevan Namboodiri, Dr P K Mohan Lal, Dr T Sankaran Kutty, Dr P Sreekantan Nair, Dr P K Shantha Kumari, John K George, Vidyadharan and Vasanthakokilam were honoured for their work.
MLA P T Thomas and MLA Hibi Eden, Maradu Municipal chairperson Sunila Sibi, Dr P M Warrier, K Chandran Pillai, A N Radhakrishnan, Masood A K and Dr S Sajikumar spoke at the function. Punarnava chairman Dr A M Anwar welcomed the gathering while medical director Jaseela Anwar proposed the vote of thanks.
Experts like Dr M R V Namboodiri, Dr Vinod Thomas, Dr Mahadevan, Jaideep C Menon and Dr S Gopakumar spoke at the national seminar on preventive cardiology. Dr Deepna M of Tripunithura Government Ayurveda College bagged the first prize consisting of a cash award of Rs 25,000 and a certificate of merit in the essay competition for Ayurveda students in the area of preventive cardiology in Ayurveda. Dr Suchitra Rammanohar of Kollam Ayurveda College, Dr Anjali Nandakumar of Sullia K V G Ayurveda college got the runners-up trophy.