The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology has decided to adopt the word ‘AYUSH’ in Hindi and English languages for scientific and technical purposes. The “AYUSH” became popular as the acronym for five traditional and complementary systems of medicine, namely Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy and successfully adopted and used in all Government communications. The decision follows a proposal from the Ministry of AYUSH in this regards.

Hailing this decision, Shri Shripad Naik, the Union AYUSH Minister said that it would underline the essential unity of all holistic systems of healing.  He also said that this decision would add strength to the efforts of the Ministry of AYUSH to develop integrated solutions to manage the public health challenges of the Country.

As approved by the Commission, the word ‘ayush’ will have the meaning “Traditional and Non-Conventional Systems of Health Care and Healing which include Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, Homoeopathy etc. Following the Commission’s recognition, the word is expected to gain currency in popular usage in a short span of time.

Despite many commonalities, the practice of the Ayush systems of healthcare in India have remained fragmented in system-specific silos.  Today’s decision would, in the long term, highlight the unifying features of the different systems.  It would facilitate projects and activities of larger scope to emerge, and thereby promote faster development of these systems.  This decision will also give a boost to India’s efforts to find a place for the Indian Systems of Healthcare in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) of the World Health Organization.  The Indian systems finding a place in ICD will lead to their international acceptance, increased rigor of research in them and their over-all development.

RJ/SK