Ahmedabad, March 17 : Rajesh Kotecha, the Secretary of the Ministry of AYUSH, said that in the past decade, the turnover of Ayurvedic products surged from $2.85 billion in 2014 to $24 billion in 2024, with exports tripling.

He likened the 'Vande AyuCon-2025' event to a 'Mini Kumbh' of Ayurveda.

The Gujarat Board of Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of Medicine organised the 'Vande AyuCon-2025' event in Ahmedabad, graced by Health Minister Rishikesh Patel.

The event witnessed participation from more than 27,000 Ayurvedic doctors, both online and offline.

During his address, Minister Patel emphasised that Ayurveda is not just a system of medicine but a science of living.

He said, "The spice box in our kitchen is a treasure trove of Ayurveda. The history of Ayurveda is ancient, and practitioners should take pride in being known as 'Vaidyas' instead of 'Doctors'."

Highlighting the essence of Ayurveda, Minister Patel said that 'Ayu' means life and 'Veda' means science.

He asserted that Ayurveda is not merely for curing diseases but for guiding a holistic lifestyle, offering treatment without side effects.

Citing the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, Minister Patel likened Ayurveda to a nurturing mother, urging Ayurvedic practitioners to deepen public trust in the science.

He also stressed the importance of research alongside education at the Ayurvedic University to enhance both knowledge and skills.

The event honoured top Ayurvedic practitioners for their exceptional contributions and awarded the 'Best Clinic-2025' title to 11 outstanding clinics from the state.

Additionally, 500 doctors received free clinic OPD software.

The event saw the presence of notable personalities like Sanjay Jivrajani, President of the Gujarat Board of Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of Medicine; Mukul Patel, Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat Ayurvedic University, Jayesh Parmar, Dharmendra Gajjar, and Maulesh Ukani from Ban Labs, among others.

/IANS