Lok Sabha Question No. 4138 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-24
Subject: National Institute for Sowa-Rigpa
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Rajveer (Raju Bhaiya) Singh, Bhola Singh, Sukanta Majumdar, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Vinod Kumar Sonkar

## 4138

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4138 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 TH  MARCH, 2023

## NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SOWA -RIGPA

- SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BHAIYA) SHRI BHOLA SINGH DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has established the National Institute for Sowa- Rigpa  in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and its achievements so far, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has any schemes to promote research in traditional system of medicine in Himalayan region;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the other measures taken by the Government for development and promotion of SowaRigpa system of medicine in the country?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF AYUSH (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

- (a) Yes Sir. The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of National Institute of Sowa Rigpa (NISR)  at  Leh,  U.T.  of  Ladakh  on  20 th   November,  2019,  as  an  Autonomous  Body under the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India.
- (b) The  Institute  was  formally  registered  under  Societies  Registration  Act  of  Union Territory of Ladakh on 13 th  April, 2020.  The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council,  Leh allotted  a  land  measuring  120  kanal.  at  Saboo-thang  area  of  Leh.  The Institute had started functioning from November, 2020.

## Achievement so far :

-  Inclusion  of  Bachelor  of  Sowa-Rigpa  Medicines  &  Surgery  (BSRMS) course under section 22 of UGC.
-  University Affiliation of U.G. course with University of Ladakh.
-  Got permission to start U.G. course in Sowa -Rigpa by National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM)..
-  Started  Class  for  the  first  batch  of  Bachelor  of  Sowa-Rigpa  Medicine  & Surgery course from March 2022 with an intake of 10 students.
-  Appointment  of  Full  time  Director  for  the  Institute  from  10 th   November 2022.
-  Class  started  for  the  2 nd   batch  of  UG  course  from  March  2023  with  9 students.
-  Academic Block, Hostels and 45 bedded Hospital are under construction at new 15 acre Campus.
- (c)&(d)  The  Central  Council  for  Research  in  Ayurvedic  Sciences  (CCRAS)    is  promoting research in traditional system of medicine in Himalayan region,  through its Eight (08) peripheral  Institutes/  Centres  in  Himalayan  region  -  Regional  Ayurveda  Research Institute(s)  located  at  Jammu,  Mandi(HP), Ranikhet(Uttarakhand), Gangtok(Sikkim), Itanagar(AP), Guwahati(Assam), Dimapur(Nagaland) and Agartala(Tripura).  National Institute of Sowa Rigpa as part of promoting research has documented  a few  folklore claims,  through  Tribal  Health  Care  Research  Programme  and  have  also  published Research Papers in journals  and presented in seminars/webinars/ worksops etc.  The Institute  is  planning  to  conduct  research  programs  in  Himalayan  regions,  through Survey and documentation of Himalayan Medicine Plants used in Sowa-Rigpa, Sowa -Rigpa formulations and scientific validation of Sowa-Rigpa knowledge.
- (e) NISR is planning to conduct Workshops/Seminars/webinars etc. in the Himalayan belt and  in  other  parts  of  the  Country,  for  development  and  promotion  of  Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine.

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