NEIAFMR Pasighat Hosts National Seminar on Advancing Local Health Traditions & Biodiversity Research

The use of ayurvedic medicine has been coming from generations together and its healing practices have strong relevance in our north eastern states.

The North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda & Folk Medicine Research (NEIAFMR), Pasighat, which was earlier known as North Eastern Institute of Folk Medicine and which is an autonomous national institute under Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, on Tuesday conducted a day-long seminar on the subject ‘recent advances & developments in local health tradition and biodiversity research with its challenges and prospects’ at the institute’s conference hall.

The seminar began with the lighting of lamps by the delegates and organizing committees followed by opening of the national seminar by releasing the abstract. The opening remarks was addressed by Dr. Robindra Teron, Director, NEIAFMR, Pasighat who put light on the objective of the national level seminar and its importance on traditional and folk medicine for the welfare of the general public in treating various health issues through the use of traditional and herbal medicines.

Dr. Robindra Teron said, “We have received a total of 38 abstracts in the theme of local health tradition, floristic diversity, agriculture, horticulture and ayurveda. The seminar topic addresses the very important field of research which is on the recent advancement of local health tradition and the seminar was conducted in hybrid mode in which 20 presenters presented their research/finding online besides 15 presenters presenting on the day with 5 lead lectures.”

Prof. Dipak Chetia, Dean Dibrugarh University from Assam as Chief Guest also spoke at length about the importance of traditional medicines, traditional healthcare resources while emphasizing on the necessity of scientific validation and modernization of traditional and folk medicines. Dr. Dinesh Baruah who was the founder principal of this institute also spoke on the importance of traditional medicines and he recalled how he was associated with many local and traditional healers around Pasgihat and East Siang district who use naturally available herbs etc in treating some dreaded ailments.

In the first technical session as lead speaker, Prof. Bhaben Tanti from Botany department, Gauhati University delivered an insightful lecture on the topic ethnobotany and Artificial Intelligence for future healthcare innovation in Vikashit Bharat @ 2047. While another local prominent figure in the research and development of traditional medicine, Dr. Temin Payum, Associate Professor from JN College, Pasighat spoke on the topic ‘prospecting the potential of black turmeric herbal tea’.

Another lead speaker Dr. S. Sureshkumar Singh also spoke on “Diversity, prospect and conservation needs of wild ornamental Banana (Musa Spp.) in Arunachal Pradesh and whole of North Eastern India. While another expert Dr. Dinesh Baruah, Ayurveda expert also shared his view on the local health tradition.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media over the importance of national level seminars during a break between the series of events, Dr. Amal Bawri, Coordinator, Dr. Imlikumba, Jt. Coordinator of the programme and Dr. Robindra Teron, Director, NEIAFMR informed that the effort of the seminar is to make the traditional folk medicines more efficient through researches and scientific validation of its treatment and processes. “The use of ayurvedic medicine has been coming from generations together and its healing practices have strong relevance in our north eastern states with many tribes using traditional herbs as medicines”, added Dr. Teron.

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