The Tamil Nadu government introduced a Bill in the Assembly on Wednesday to establish a university for Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani, Yoga and Naturopathy and Homeopathy in the State.
According to the Bill tabled by Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, the AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) medicine systems have rich traditions and literature.
“Scientific validation of the medicines of Siddha and other traditions needs to be further researched to be successful all over the world, so that the benefits can reach the entire humanity. In order to develop Siddha and other systems of Indian medicines and homoeopathy, giving due importance to research, the government considers that a separate university may be established for the purpose,” it said.
The sages of Tamil Nadu and those in other parts of India had traditional knowledge of the functioning of human body and the methodology to cure illnesses, and the Siddha tradition was developed by the Siddhars in Tamil Nadu, it noted.
Similarly, Ayurveda and Yoga were evolved throughout India, while the Homeopathy and Unani traditions, though initially evolved outside India, have assimilated themselves into Indian culture, it said.
During his 2021-22 budget speech, the Minister for Finance had announced that ₹2 crore would be allotted initially for the establishment of a separate Siddha medical university for Indian systems of medicine.
Subsequently, while moving the demand for grants for the Health Department in the Assembly for 2021-22, the Minister for Health and Family Welfare announced that a separate Siddha university for Indian systems of medicine would be established near Chennai.
