The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, under the Ministry of Ayush, successfully concluded its three-day international seminar 'Saushrutam 2026' on July 17, 2026. The event was organized from July 15-17, 2026, with a pre-conference workshop on July 14, 2026, coinciding with Sushruta Jayanti. The valedictory session was attended by Vd. Maneesha Kothekar, Chairperson of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), and Shri Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Member of Parliament from South Delhi, as Chief Guests, with Dr. Sushrut Kanaujia, President of the Board of Ethics and Registration at NCISM, and Padma Shri Prof. Manoranjan Sahu as Guests of Honour.
Vd. Kothekar emphasized that such seminars provide valuable exposure to students and strengthen academic engagement in Ayurveda, helping society recognize Ayurvedacharyas as skilled surgeons. She reaffirmed NCISM's support for strengthening Ayurvedic education and practice. Prof. (Vd.) P.K. Prajapati, Director of AIIA, stated the seminar was conceived as a global platform to foster scientific dialogue, exchange evidence-based surgical practices, showcase technological innovations, and celebrate Acharya Sushruta's surgical legacy, aiming to strengthen academic collaboration between Ayurveda and modern surgical sciences.
A significant development was the renewal of AIIA's Memorandum of Understanding with IIT Delhi for another five years, reaffirming commitment to collaborative research and innovation. The event featured the release of multiple publications: the third edition of Ayushvallari (AIIA's annual Hindi magazine), 'Neetra Rogya: Samanya Jankari aur Niwaran' (a public awareness publication on eye diseases), and a Saushrutam 2026 souvenir.
The seminar attracted participation from eminent academicians and surgeons from nine countries: Thailand, Israel, Austria, United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nepal, Greece, and India. Over 30 national experts participated, including Padma Shri awardees Prof. M. Sahu and Prof. K.K. Thakral, along with faculty from premier institutions such as AIIA, IMS-BHU, NIA Jaipur, ITRA Jamnagar, and other surgical centers. Modern surgical experts from AIIMS, SGPGI Lucknow, Government Medical College Agartala, and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi also contributed, facilitating multidisciplinary exchange between Ayurveda and contemporary surgical sciences.
Prof. (Dr.) Yogesh Badwe, Organising Chairman, emphasized AIIA's commitment to improving surgical practices in Ayurveda and strengthening the surgical fraternity through international platforms like Saushrutam. The event represented a step toward integrating traditional knowledge with modern scientific advancements, advancing the Ministry of Ayush's vision for a holistic, evidence-based healthcare ecosystem.