Let Ayurveda’s beacon shine from India
The states should use the ancient medical system to boost tourism and not let Colombo appropriate our legacy
For years together, Ayurveda has been a shining legacy of India. Sanctified by the Vedic scriptures and validated by modern scientific research, the ancient medicinal system has stood the test of time. So much so, India today flaunts it as one of its USPs when it comes to international tourism.
However, India now faces a serious onslaught on this front from Sri Lanka, which is aggressively marketing Ayurveda as if the emerald island is its birthplace.
Sri Lanka’s marketing of this medicinal system has been so convincing that many international destinations are dotted with Ayurvedic centres of the tropical country. This, when a string of Indian states — primarily Kerala, besides Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand — have linkages with this ancient medical system. India should rejig its strategy to scotch the possibility of Sri Lanka overshadowing its claim as the globe’s principal Ayurveda destination. All these states should join the ‘Ayurveda bandwagon’ to boost their tourism potential. It’s high time we conceived and executed an International Ayurveda Day — on the lines of the International Yoga Day — pitch-forked into international limelight by New Delhi.
Already, there are signs of healthy competition among various states in the tourism sector. Gujarat has enhanced its budget allocation for tourism development from ` 350 crore in year 2014-15 to ` 465 crore in the current fiscal. Goa almost doubled its allocation to ` 260 crore during the same period. Maharashtra’s current allocation is ` 405 crore, while Karnataka’s is ` 406 crore. The tiny union territory of Diu and nascent Telangana are also doing their bit. All these augur well for India tourism.
As for the pungent Ayurvedic potion Sri Lanka is serving India, the latter should convert the challenge into an opportunity by prompting more states to take up the medical system as a tourist attraction. Realising the importance of tourism as a force multiplier with enormous implications for the economy, the Centre has launched several initiatives. The creation of an AYUSH ministry, which has Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy under its wing, is an example.
But there are areas of concern: Inbound tourists from China, Korea and Japan, which together form less than 1%.
We need to vigorously woo tourists from China, Japan and West Asia by showcasing Ayurveda not only as a therapy but also as a wellness and rejuvenating process that best thrives in tropical Indian climate. All states need to launch innovative campaigns to woo tourists from across the globe. We should follow the mantra of ‘spardhaya vardhate vidya’ (competition enhances excellence), as stated in our ancient texts.