Lalit Gargg
“AYUSH represents a fundamentally different approach to health—one that prioritizes balance over symptom suppression. Rooted in Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy, and Naturopathy, these systems view health as harmony between body, mind, and environment. Rather than isolating disease, they emphasize prevention, self-regulation, and long-term well-being. In an age of chronic illness, this philosophy is increasingly relevant.”
The world today is facing a health crisis that is deeper and more complex than ever before. On one side, lifestyle-related illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, anxiety, depression, and chronic stress are rising rapidly across societies. On the other, infectious diseases, pandemics, environmental degradation, and climate-induced health risks continue to threaten human life. These challenges have exposed the limitations of a health system that relies almost entirely on modern allopathic medicine. While modern medicine has achieved remarkable success in surgery, emergency care, and infectious disease control, it has struggled to address long-term wellness, prevention, mental health, and affordability in a holistic manner. This growing gap has led the global community to re-examine traditional systems of medicine, and in this search, India’s AYUSH model has emerged as a credible and comprehensive alternative.
AYUSH, an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, and allied traditional practices, represents a health philosophy that is fundamentally different from disease-centric medicine. These systems focus on overall well-being rather than symptom suppression. They aim to restore balance between body, mind, and environment. Among them, Ayurveda stands out as one of the oldest and most systematically developed medical traditions in the world. Rooted in thousands of years of observation and practice, Ayurveda views health as a state of harmony between physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions of life.
Ayurveda is based on the balance of three doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—which govern bodily functions. Disease arises when this balance is disturbed. Treatment, therefore, focuses on correcting lifestyle, diet, mental habits, and environmental factors rather than merely prescribing drugs. Classical Ayurveda is organized into eight specialized branches, covering internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, mental health, toxicology, geriatrics, reproductive health, and diseases of the sense organs. This breadth reflects a deeply integrated understanding of human health, one that modern systems are only beginning to appreciate.
Yoga complements Ayurveda by addressing the mind-body connection directly. Through asanas, pranayama, meditation, and ethical discipline, Yoga promotes physical fitness, mental clarity, emotional stability, and inner balance. Today, scientific studies increasingly confirm Yoga’s effectiveness in managing stress, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disorders, and mental health conditions. Naturopathy further strengthens this approach by emphasizing the body’s natural healing capacity through disciplined living, diet control, and the use of natural elements such as water, sunlight, earth, and air.
Unani medicine, introduced to India from Greece and further developed on Indian soil, focuses on balancing four humors and recognizes the influence of climate and environment on health. Siddha medicine, practiced mainly in South India, integrates herbal and mineral formulations with yoga and meditation. Sowa-Rigpa, or Tibetan medicine, practiced in Himalayan regions like Ladakh and Sikkim, represents a unique mountain-based healing tradition deeply attuned to local ecology. Together, these systems form a vast and diverse medical ecosystem rooted in Indian civilizational knowledge.
Recognizing the relevance of these traditions in modern times, the Government of India has taken systematic steps to integrate AYUSH into mainstream healthcare. The establishment of the Ministry of AYUSH and the launch of the National AYUSH Mission marked a decisive shift from symbolic recognition to institutional support. Research institutions, educational reforms, digital platforms, and global partnerships are now strengthening the credibility and reach of traditional medicine.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has played a central role in this transformation. Under his leadership, India has positioned traditional medicine not as a cultural artifact, but as a practical solution to global health challenges. The declaration of the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations was a landmark moment that brought Yoga into the global mainstream. India’s collaboration with the World Health Organization on traditional medicine, including the establishment of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine, further reflects this growing international acceptance.
The second Global Summit on Traditional Medicine held in New Delhi demonstrated that India is no longer a passive participant in this field. It is emerging as a global leader and standard-setter. Bilateral engagements with sixteen countries, including Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, showed how traditional medicine is becoming an instrument of health diplomacy. The launch of the ‘AYUSH Mark’ during the summit was particularly significant. By introducing global quality benchmarks for AYUSH products and services, India has taken a major step toward addressing concerns related to standardization, safety, and consumer trust.
Economic indicators also reflect this growing confidence. During the Prime Minister’s visit to Oman, exports of AYUSH and herbal products increased from USD 61.1 million to USD 65.1 million. While modest in absolute terms, this growth signals rising global demand. More importantly, it indicates trust in India’s traditional medical systems as affordable, accessible, and effective alternatives—especially at a time when nearly one-fourth of the world’s population lacks access to basic healthcare due to economic constraints.
According to the World Health Organization, between 40 and 90 percent of people in nearly 170 countries use some form of traditional medicine today. This reality challenges the assumption that traditional medicine is limited to developing nations. In fact, interest in Ayurveda, Yoga, herbal medicine, and naturopathy is rising steadily in developed countries as well. High healthcare costs, drug side effects, antibiotic resistance, and long-term dependence on pharmaceuticals have prompted people to seek gentler, preventive, and sustainable health solutions.
Unlike modern medicine, which often treats disease in isolation, Indian traditional systems focus on individual constitution and long-term balance. They emphasize prevention, self-discipline, and early intervention. Diseases are not merely suppressed but addressed at their root. This approach makes them particularly suitable for managing chronic conditions and lifestyle disorders, which are among the biggest health challenges of the twenty-first century.
At the same time, it must be acknowledged that traditional medicine faces challenges. Issues of quality control, scientific validation, and unverified claims have occasionally weakened public confidence. However, these challenges are not insurmountable. Initiatives such as the AYUSH Mark, increased funding for clinical research, and the integration of modern scientific methods with traditional knowledge can bridge this gap. What is required is not competition between systems, but convergence—where the strengths of traditional wisdom and modern science reinforce each other.
In a world where nearly 4.6 billion people lack adequate access to healthcare, India’s traditional medical systems offer hope. They are cost-effective, preventive in nature, and culturally adaptable. They empower individuals to take responsibility for their own health rather than remaining passive recipients of treatment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision reflects this understanding. By viewing traditional medicine as a future necessity rather than a relic of the past, he has helped position India as a global health leader. As the limitations of purely pharmaceutical-driven healthcare become increasingly evident, the world is searching for a more humane, holistic, and sustainable model.
India’s AYUSH framework offers exactly that. It does not reject modern medicine, but complements it. It does not promise miracles, but promotes balance. In doing so, it presents a healthcare philosophy that is not only rooted in ancient wisdom, but deeply relevant to modern humanity. This is why India’s AYUSH model is no longer just India’s contribution to the world—it is rapidly becoming the world’s shared future in healthcare.
Author is Writer, Journalist, Columnist and can be reached at lalitgarg11@gmail.com
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