Marking 40 years of practice of the traditional Indian healthcare system in Brazil, the 3rd International Ayurveda Conference was jointly organised by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) and Conayur, São Paulo, Brazil, from November 14 – 15, 2025.
The conference featured thematic lectures, plenary sessions, and a general assembly focusing on critical issues including ancestral knowledge, diversity and inclusion in Ayurveda, and the professional regulation of Ayurveda in Brazil.
The two-day programme included lectures such as “Daivavyapashraya: The Healing of the Soul – A Bridge between the Ganges and the West” by Paulo Bastos Gonçalves, “From Prithvi to Ākāśa: The Journey of Subtle Transformation” by Vanessa Santetti, and “Ayurveda as a Path of Healing” by Dr. Rita Beatriz Tocantins, among several others.
The conference also witnessed roundtable deliberations to create a roadmap of the next 40 years for Ayurveda in the Latin American nation, according to an official document from the Ministry of Ayush. Dinesh Bhatia, Ambassador of India to Brazil, inaugurated the conference on the opening day, which was held under the aegis of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
Bringing together experts, practitioners, scholars, and students from across Latin America and India, the discussions centred on the theme “Diversity and Inclusion in Ayurveda: Caring for Everybody and Every Being.”
The Indian delegate, in his speech, acknowledged that Brazil was the first South American country to officially recognise the ancient Indian medicine system and referred to the recent visit of Brazil’s Vice President, Geraldo Alckmin, to the All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi, as a landmark in strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Delivering the keynote address, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Dr Rajesh Kotecha, emphasised that Ayurveda embodies inclusivity, compassion, and the holistic equilibrium of body, mind, and environment. He highlighted the strong India–Brazil partnership in traditional medicine, reinforced through a Memorandum of Understanding between the respective Ministries of Health and through institutional collaborations involving the National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur, and Brazilian universities.