Mysuru :
Appealing for a marriage between traditional knowledge and modern science, distinguished scientist of CSIR – India and Director of Research, Innovation and Development at JSS Mahavidyapeetha, Dr. V. Prakash, said that India should innovate new herbal medicinal practices and products by digesting its immense historical-knowledge of herbal medicine. He was delivering the keynote address after inaugurating the five-day international conference on herbal medicine at Sri Rajendra Auditorium, JSS Medical College in city today.
The conference is jointly organised by the Centre for Science and Technology of the Non-Aligned and other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre), New Delhi and JSS University, Mysuru. After the first two days (Mar. 30 and 31), the venue of the conference will be shifted to the JSS Campus in Ooty, Tamil Nadu.
Addressing a gathering that had delegates from around 30 countries, Dr. Prakash lauded Mysuru as the ‘Ayur-Valley of the world’ and called for a conjunction of pharmaceuticals with herbal medicines.
He dismissed the speculation of a ‘complete collapse’ of the Asian economy by the year 2020 due to over-population and said that it is not a threat but an opportunity to use the human resource to its best and develop a new herbal supply chain right from pre-harvest till consumption. He also recommended every herb available in the country to be grown like a tea-gardens and make India a ‘healthy nation.’
Speaking about the contemptuous attitude of the world community towards Ayurveda, he said, “In the recent past, there has been an uneasy silence regarding the uses of ayurveda in curing diseases and slowly it is now seen as the best mode of treatment. India and other Asian countries can use this opportunity, research further and develop new products that can help humanity in general. All we have to do is give the herbal medicines a Grandmother’s touch.”
Director General – NAM S&T Centre (New Delhi) Dr. Arun. P. Kulshreshtha and JSS University VC Dr. B. Suresh were the chief guests. JSS University Registrar Dr. B. Manjunatha, Director-Academics and Chairman Dr. P.A. Kushalappa, JSS Medical College Principal Dr. H. Basavana Gowdappa and Professor Emeritus of Department of Phytopharmacy and Phytomedicine K. Chinnaswamy were present.
The third volume of the Compendium on Medicinal Plants was also released on this occasion.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / March 30th, 2015