Good afternoon, my greetings to everyone present here!

Advocate, Antony Raju, Hon’ble Minister for Transport, Government of Kerala. He has been very kind to me. I can give you the reasons for it. We both belong to the legal fraternity. I will therefore have to be reciprocal.

Shri V Murleedharan, Honorable Minister of State for External Affairs and the next portfolio is more important to me as Chairman Rajya Sabha, the Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India and Chairman Global Ayurveda festival

I am so glad that the two Hon’ble Ministers would settle it before this august house ‘transgression’. I have a suggestion for deep deliberation by all the experts. I personally entertain an opinion that if Members of parliament including the one who is on the dais, if they regularly receive Ayurveda, their performance in Parliament will be optimal and the decision making process would be more sublime.

Dr Shashi Tharoor, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha

Dignitaries on the dais and off the dais.

Friends, the Hon’ble Union Minister read out the message of the Prime Minister who is away from the country from this day. The message of the Prime Minister captures the essence and relevance of Ayurveda. It is much beyond health and wellness. It is all about life, it is all about existence, it is all about sublimity in your response, conduct and behaviour.

Friends, a great facet of this festival is that it is in Kerala, God's own land. I don't think there can be an imminently more suited place on the planet for such an august gathering to scratch their minds and deliberate to promote Ayurveda. I am sure, the deliberations will yield fruitful results that will impact the health and wellbeing of the people.

Esteemed guests, and fellow enthusiasts of Ayurveda.

It is my absolute privilege and honour to address the 5th Global Ayurveda Festival, a grand gathering that celebrates the enduring legacy of Ayurveda and its immense potential to shape a healthier future.          

"स्वास्थ्यं सर्वोत्तमं धनम्… पहला सुख निरोगी काया (Health is supreme wealth). It is embedded in our minds from the time we are born. Health is wealth. This truth echoes powerfully in Ayurveda, and in our ancient healing wisdom.

The 5th Global Ayurveda Festival with the theme "Emerging Challenges in Healthcare & a Resurgent Ayurveda," serves as a beacon of hope amidst a world grappling with complex health challenges. Only Years ago, the world suffered a challenges on our health front, pandemic Covid, and the role of Ayurveda is transformational and monumental in this

I am happy to note that since 2012, the biennial Global Ayurveda Festival has served as a beacon of Ayurveda's enduring legacy, bringing together the global Ayurveda community to celebrate and propagate this ancient healing system.

Convergence of experts, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers from across the globe will go a long way in shaping the health infrastructure, the health fulcrum to humanity at large. I have no doubt that your deliberations over the five days will turn out to be greatest gain for humanity and will take Ayurveda to greater heights

The philosophy of Ayurveda is - ‘सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः, सर्वे सन्तु निरामयः’ -‘May all be happy, may all be free from illness’ is embedded in our civilizational ethos.   

These deliberations will qualitatively enable exploration of Ayurveda's transformative potential in addressing these challenges and the challenges are visible in every home. The problem can be seen next door. The societies are facing the challenges of health. We need to find a way out that is non invasive, acceptable. There can be nothing better, efficacious and wholesome than Ayurveda. These challenges are to be addressed from our land Bharat. We are global leader in Ayurveda, with a rich legacy of knowledge and practice that spans millennia.

Ancient texts like the Atharva Veda, Charaka Samhita, and Sushruta Samhita provide a profound understanding of the human body, its ailments, and the therapeutic principles of Ayurveda.

Such a treasure has been with us for thousands of years. It is so satisfying to note its relevance is now being acknowledged. All steps are being taken by the governments at centre and the state to promote it. This is our own wisdom, our wisdom that has evolved over centuries by people who knew it, in and out. It is often referred to as the science of life and I emphasize it is the only science of life.

This allows you to be one complete whole, it allows you to fully exploit your mind and body. It keeps your soul, mind and body together in a mode of performance. There is no doubt howsoever gifted one may be, howsoever talented one may be, if one is not healthy then he cannot contribute to the society's growth.

Ayurveda is a combination of “Ayur” (means life) and “Vidya” (means knowledge). This science believes that the curing power rests with Nature and the physicians serve as vehicles for the Ayur Vidya.

Friends, we have by reckless greed, endangered ourselves without knowing about the dangers that we face. Ayurveda will give the balance that will help us to re discover ourselves so that we believe in a society that can survive with health togetherness and as a whole

India's commitment to preserving and promoting Ayurveda is evident in its numerous initiatives, including research institutions, educational programs, and integrated healthcare policies.

Kerala, the enchanting state that hosts the 5th Global Ayurveda Festival, is renowned as a cradle of Ayurvedic excellence.

I am told that decision makers who regularly go to Ayurvedic centres for weekly or fortnightly treatment are better with their decision makings. I will strongly urge everyone that we are home to 1/6th of humanity. We have to be in a mindset that we contribute to the society at large. I have raised an alarming concern on the other occasions that the greatest challenge that society faces is that informed minds, knowledgeable minds exploit ignorance of the people to generate equity for themselves in politics, society or business. These tendencies will automatically get arrested contained and curbed, if we take research to Ayurvedic therapy as and when we have a challenge within the body

Atharva Veda, what a repository it is about health about wellness about the treatments that can be given. I am so glad that the Honorable Union Minister Mr Dharmendra Pradhan whom I had directed during the last session to make available all Vedas, to each of the members of Parliament is doing so. We need to focus on that. If we keep away from knowledge, a knowledge that is available in our ethos, in our Vedas, in our Upanishads, in our literature, our mindset will be very different. We can have quick solutions. It provides stable lasting solutions with no side effects and that can come up only when informing ourselves with the rich wealth in the line we have.

Ayurveda is much beyond treating ailments; it encompasses a comprehensive approach to wellness and well-being.

The Government of India has played a pivotal role in fostering the growth and global recognition of Ayurveda. The establishment of a dedicated AYUSH Ministry, the observance of National Ayurveda Day, and the integration of Ayurveda into the National Education Policy are testaments to the government's commitment to Ayurveda's advancement

This has created an affirmative environment for the blossoming of the rich ancient Indian healing system and integrating Ayurveda in the healthcare mainstream.

Let me to tell you friends, during Covid, we rediscovered Ayurveda. All over the country you will find people knowledgeable about Ayurveda, who did yeomen service to humanity. They made available their packets, carrying their medicines, carrying their suggestions, carrying their ideas and people were enormously benefited. Not only Ayurvedic therapy is non invasive, it is naturally affordable. It is connected to nature. It makes us realise the importance of nature which over the years, we have devastated. We are trying to get back on it.

The Prime Minister Modi’s initiative at global stage, at the United States took to the floor of United Nations, made a fervent plea to the world community to promote yoga, to declare a day as International yoga day and in the shortest span, largest number of the countries, converges to support it and United Nations declared International Yoga Day.

On the last International yoga day, the Hon’ble Prime Minister was there at the premises of the United Nations and who were there, people from nearly all the countries. International Yoga Day is celebrated in every nook and corner of the planet. It is non-discriminatory, it has a wide acceptability because it is in Indian ethos. It is the gift of Bharat to the world.

Yoga is being discovered every day now and for each of the health problems, there is a specific yoga treatment. This is catalyzing a big change for the health of the Global community.

In the process, Bharat has also emerged as soft power. People come to know about the depth of our culture, richness that we are possessed of.

The second game changer initiative that has been taken by the central government is the National AYUSH Mission, started to promote AYUSH medical systems through cost effective AYUSH services has been highly impactful.

Wellness tourism in India offers a holistic approach to well-being, combining traditional practices like Ayurveda with the beauty of nature.

What can be a better land, more imminently suited, than gods on territory, Kerala. This place can catalyse, can be the epicentre, nerve centre for big change towards to attract tourism on this land and friends let me tell you that tourism attraction of this place on the account of Ayurveda will be qualitatively and geometrically very significant to the economy of the state and the country.

From detoxifying in Kerala's lush greenery, I enjoy being in Kerala every time and my sense of satisfaction is personal also. The teacher who mentored me Ms, Ratnavali Nair is from the State, in a sense, I am ever indebted to the State.

Travellers from around the world seek rejuvenation. They want to seek peace, they want to seek solace, they are soul searching themselves. The only place they find befittingly, imminently suitable for this, is our Bharat.

If you go around you will find people floating to this land to get that kind of satisfaction which eludes them in spite of their wealth or faith. Travellers around the world seek healing in Kerala's tranquil environs, immersing themselves in Ayurveda's transformative practices.

Kerala's Ayurveda tourism not only promotes well-being but also contributes significantly to its human resource involvement.

When we serve someone with non material comforts, but serve someone that is so vital for the other person, his or her health then there is a qualitative mind set change with those who come to this land.

The rising prevalence of non-communicable and lifestyle diseases, Hon’ble Union Minister made reference, we can have an easy solution by taking the recourse to Ayurveda. Other recourses that are invasive, have side effects and are not lasting and certainly they are not affordable.

Ayurveda emphasis is on prevention, balance and personalized care. It aligns seamlessly with the global call for a sustainable and equitable health care system.

Friends, tapping the huge potential offered by India and its digital ecosystem and Internet penetration, availability of AYUSH is also being extended through telemedicine and digital platforms and this has resulted in a big achievement.

People are increasingly taking it. They have learnt for the first time that there is such a positive impact of technology in their lives, that from their homes, from far-off corners, they can avail facilities and counsel, which otherwise was not possible.

These are big achievements; I congratulate the Ministry for having done so.

Notably friends, all around 40,000 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are actively contributing to the dynamic AYUSH sector. The growth has been phenomenal, geometric. The Hon’ble Minister has reflected on this giving good figure. But friends when we meet at an occasion like this when people from all over the globe are converging, you will have to scratch beyond the surface. You will have to delve deep, you will have to give cutting edge to Ayurvedic treatment and therapy. You will have to be innovative to find out various ways to promote wellness tourism. I have no doubt this is going to happen and your contributions by way of deliberations during the next 5 days will be helpful.

May Ayurveda's timeless wisdom illuminate the path towards a world where health and well-being are not mere privileges but fundamental rights

Friends, let me remind you COVID pandemic was a global menace. It affected each and every part of the world, high and mighty, rich and poor, women vulnerable. Every segment of society but that was the occasion people learnt what is humane approach? What is sublimity? What is hand holding? How you can give succour to other person. All our old age ethos and our civilization essence was brought to the fore. The rich and mighty came to realize for the first time their limitations.

We want a word order to be regulated by one regime and that is living beings on the planet, in particular human beings as a class are entitled, all of them are entitled to one thing - good health, physical and mental and in this achievement Ayurveda has a fundamental cutting edge and can contribute significantly.

I am grateful that I have been afforded this great opportunity to be in Kerala to address a group of stakeholder who are determined, who are passionately committed, who have a mission to take Ayurveda to every individual for his or her welfare.

Thank you so much, thank you for the time.

*****

MS/RC