The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) launched the second edition of SIDDHI, its industry–research interface programme, in Vijayawada on Wednesday. The two-day meeting, organised by the Regional Ayurveda Research Institute (RARI) in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), aims to push scientific and commercial development in the Ayurveda sector.
The inauguration brought together senior CCRAS officials, State Ayush representatives and industry members. At the event, CCRAS released a medico-historical publication on the evolution of drug regulations and introduced a Drug Inventory Management System portal.
This edition of SIDDHI—short for Scientific Innovation in Drug Development, Healthcare & Integration—comes months after CCRAS held the PRAGATI-2024 meet. The Council says SIDDHI 2.0 will focus on research-led product development, indigenous technology, and smoother industry–research partnerships.
CCRAS Director General Rabinarayan Acharya said rising lifestyle diseases have made Ayurveda’s wellness-based approach more relevant. He highlighted the Council’s existing research and fellowship schemes and assured companies that intellectual property from joint research would be shared fairly.
Andhra Pradesh Ayush Director K Dinesh Kumar stated that the State has a relatively small number of Ayurveda colleges and pharmaceutical units and suggested the establishment of a National Ayurveda Institute. While modern medicine has extended lifespan, he said, Ayurveda could improve the quality of those years.
Deputy Director General N Srikanth stated that CCRAS has validated over 150 herbal formulations and urged companies to utilise the Council’s data on safety and quality. He added that CCRAS is supporting AI-driven and other technology-based start-ups in the Ayush space.
Industry representatives at the conclave called for modernising traditional herbs and formulations to improve their global competitiveness. CII’s Vijayawada chapter said aligning research, education and manufacturing could boost employment.
Over 100 delegates, including representatives from 25 pharmaceutical companies, attended technical sessions on research pipelines, available technologies, and potential areas for collaboration. Organisers said discussions on day one centred on building evidence-based growth pathways for the Ayurveda industry.