Centre designates September 23 as Ayurveda Day

New Delhi, Aug 26 (IANS) The Ministry of Ayush on Tuesday designated September 23 as Ayurveda Day, giving the ancient knowledge system a universal calendar identity and enabling greater participation at the global level.

Earlier, Ayurveda Day was celebrated on Dhanvantari Jayanti (Dhanteras).

“For the first time since its inception in 2016, Ayurveda Day will be observed on a fixed date that is, on September 23 every year, as notified by the Government of India through a Gazette Notification issued in March 2025,” the Ministry said.

“Ayurveda is not just a healthcare system; it is a science of life rooted in the principle of harmony between the individual and the environment. By designating 23 September as Ayurveda Day, India has given Ayurveda a global calendar identity,” said Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush.

This year, the day will be celebrated on the theme: Ayurveda for People & Planet, which “reflects our collective resolve to harness the full potential of Ayurveda for global wellbeing and a healthier planet,” the Minister said.

“Since its inception in 2016, Ayurveda Day has emerged as a global movement celebrating India’s traditional knowledge. The first all-India NSSO survey reaffirms that Ayurveda is the most commonly used system of treatment across both rural and urban areas. The 2025 theme underlines our commitment towards advancing holistic health and ecological balance,” said Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush.

The 9th Ayurveda Day (2024) was a landmark in India’s healthcare journey when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Phase II of the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi. PM Modi launched four Centres of Excellence in Ayurveda and introduced the nationwide “Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan” campaign along with other health-related initiatives worth about Rs 12,850 crore.

Building on the momentum, Ayurveda Day 2025 is envisioned not merely as a ceremonial occasion, but as a step towards positioning Ayurveda as a solution for contemporary global challenges such as lifestyle disorders, climate-linked diseases, and stress management.

The celebrations will include awareness campaigns, youth engagement programmes, wellness consultations, and international collaborations coordinated by the Ministry of Ayush and its institutions.

Notably, activities in around 150 countries were organised in 2024 on Ayurveda Day, reaffirming Ayurveda’s growing global reach.

--IANS

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