**Summary:**
The Government of India has designated September 23rd as the annual AYUSH Ayurveda Day, beginning in 2025. This marks a shift from the previous practice of observing the day on Dhanvantari Jayanti (Dhanteras). The decision, formalized through a Gazette Notification in March 2025, aims to provide Ayurveda with a consistent global calendar identity and promote wider international participation.
The theme for Ayurveda Day 2025 is "Ayurveda for People Planet," reflecting a commitment to leveraging Ayurveda for global well-being and a healthier planet. According to Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Ayurveda is viewed as a life science rooted in harmony with nature, not merely a healthcare system.
Since its inception in 2016, Ayurveda Day has evolved into a global movement. The Ministry of Ayush, led by Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, coordinates celebrations that include awareness campaigns, youth engagement programs, wellness consultations, and international collaborations. In 2024, activities were organized in approximately 150 countries. The 9th Ayurveda Day in 2024 saw the inauguration of Phase II of the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, the launch of four Centres of Excellence in Ayurveda, and the introduction of the Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan campaign, alongside health-related initiatives worth approximately ₹12,850 crore.
Ayurveda Day 2025 aims to position Ayurveda as a solution for contemporary global challenges, including lifestyle disorders, climate-linked diseases, and stress management. The first all-India NSSO survey indicates that Ayurveda is the most commonly used system of treatment across both rural and urban areas in India, and its global reach continues to expand.
Key Entities Referenced
Ayurveda Day: An annual event focused on promoting Ayurveda, observed on 23 September from 2025 onwards.
23 September: The fixed date for the annual observance of Ayurveda Day, starting in 2025.
Ayurveda for People Planet: The theme for Ayurveda Day 2025, emphasizing the role of Ayurveda in global wellbeing and a healthier planet.
Shri Prataprao Jadhav: Union Minister of State Independent Charge for Ayush and Minister of State for Health Family Welfare.
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha: Secretary, Ministry of Ayush.
Ministry of Ayush: The Indian government ministry responsible for promoting Ayurveda and other traditional medicine systems.
All India Institute of Ayurveda AIIA, New Delhi: An institution promoting Ayurveda, with Phase II inaugurated in New Delhi.
Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan: A nationwide campaign launched in India related to health initiatives, worth about 12,850 crore.
AYUSH
Ayurveda Day to be marked on 23 September
annually from 2025
Theme for Ayurveda Day 2025 is ‘Ayurveda for
People & Planet’
Ayurveda is a Life Science rooted in Harmony with
Nature: Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav
Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha says, “Ayurveda
Day has grown into global movement since 2016”
Posted On: 26 AUG 2025 3:17PM by PIB Delhi
For the first time since its inception in 2016, Ayurveda Day will be observed on a fixed date i.e. on 23
September – every year, as notified by the Government of India through a Gazette Notification issued in
March 2025. Earlier, Ayurveda Day was celebrated on Dhanvantari Jayanti (Dhanteras). The decision to
assign a fixed date marks a historic shift, giving Ayurveda a universal calendar identity and enabling greater
participation at the global level.
Announcing the theme for this year’s celebration – “Ayurveda for People & Planet” – the Union Minister of
State (Independent Charge) for Ayush and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao
Jadhav, said, “Ayurveda is not just a healthcare system, it is a science of life rooted in the principle of
harmony between the individual and the environment. By designating 23 September as Ayurveda Day, India
has given Ayurveda a global calendar identity. The 2025 theme, ‘Ayurveda for People & Planet’, reflects our
collective resolve to harness the full potential of Ayurveda for global wellbeing and a healthier planet.”
The Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, stated,“Since its inception in 2016, Ayurveda Day
has emerged as a global movement celebrating India’s traditional knowledge. The first all-India NSSO survey
reaffirms that Ayurveda is the most commonly used system of treatment across both rural and urban areas.
The 2025 theme underlines our commitment towards advancing holistic health and ecological balance.”
The 9th Ayurveda Day (2024) was a landmark in India’s healthcare journey when the Prime Minister, Shri
Narendra Modi, inaugurated Phase II of the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, launched four
Centres of Excellence in Ayurveda, and introduced the nationwide “Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan”
campaign along with other health-related initiatives worth about ₹12,850 crore.
Building on this momentum, Ayurveda Day 2025 is envisioned not merely as a ceremonial occasion, but as a
step towards positioning Ayurveda as a solution for contemporary global challenges such as lifestyle
disorders, climate-linked diseases, and stress management.
The celebrations will include awareness campaigns, youth engagement programmes, wellness consultations,and international collaborations coordinated by the Ministry of Ayush and its institutions. Notably, activities
in around 150 countries were organised in 2024 on Ayurveda Day, reaffirming Ayurveda’s growing global
reach.***
MV/GS/SG
(Release ID: 2160853)