**Policy Summary:**
On July 24-25, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Ayush and the Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS), convened a two-day WHO External Expert Group Meeting focused on Siddha standards. Held in hybrid mode, the meeting involved 16 international experts from 11 countries representing all six WHO regions. The primary objective was to finalize the Draft WHO Technical Reports on Training and Practice in Siddha.
Key outcomes included a consensus on the need for globally harmonized training standards in Siddha, with India reaffirming its commitment to evidence-based practices in traditional medicine. Participants emphasized Siddha's scientific relevance, cultural legacy, and growing global resonance. The finalized reports will support WHO Member States in adopting high-quality Siddha education and clinical standards. The event strengthens India's position as a global knowledge hub for Ayush systems and reflects its leadership in the WHO Traditional Medicine strategy.
Key speakers included Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, and Ms. Monalisa Dash, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, and Dr. Kim Sungchol, Head, TCI Unit, WHO. The WHO’s Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCI) Unit facilitated the sessions with support from the Government of India.
Key Entities Referenced
Siddha: A traditional Indian system of medicine.
Ministry of Ayush: The Indian government ministry responsible for the development of traditional medicine systems.
World Health Organization (WHO): An international organization focused on public health.
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha: Secretary, Ministry of Ayush.
Monalisa Dash: Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ayush.
Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS): An organization involved in research related to the Siddha system of medicine.
Delhi: Location of press release, Delhi, India
WHO Traditional Medicine strategy: WHO strategy focusing on Traditional Medicine.
AYUSH
Two-Day WHO Expert Group Meeting Concludes
with Key Recommendations on Siddha Standards
India Reaffirms Commitment to Evidence-Based
Practices in Traditional Medicine: Secretary, Ministry
of Ayush
India Emerges as Global Knowledge Hub for Ayush
Systems
Posted On: 25 JUL 2025 8:06PM by PIB Delhi
In a significant stride toward globalizing India’s traditional medical knowledge systems, the World Health
Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Ayush and the Central Council for Research in
Siddha (CCRS), successfully convened a two-day WHO External Expert Group Meeting on July 24–25, 2025.
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, in his keynote address, emphasized the need for robust,
globally harmonized training standards in Siddha. He reiterated India's commitment to promoting evidence-
based practices in traditional medicine.
Ms. Monalisa Dash, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, highlighted Siddha’s scientific relevance and rich
cultural legacy, noting its growing global resonance. In her opening remarks, she underlined the importance of
structured, evidence-based training to enhance international recognition of Siddha. She affirmed that Siddha is
not just a Traditional Medical System, but a living tradition with deep cultural background, still with scientific
relevance.
Dr. Kim Sungchol, Head, TCI Unit, WHO, commended India's leadership in traditional medicine and
underscored WHO’s vision to integrate Siddha within national healthcare systems, with full respect for its
traditional roots. He also acknowledged the crucial technical and financial support extended by the Ministry
of Ayush for the drafting of evidence-based documents.
Held in hybrid mode, the meeting focused on finalizing the Draft WHO Technical Reports on Training and
Practice in Siddha, drawing participation from 16 international experts across 11 countries representing all six
WHO regions. The sessions were facilitated by the WHO’s Traditional, Complementary and Integrative
Medicine (TCI) Unit with support from the Government of India. The deliberations mark a landmark
milestone in aligning Siddha with globally accepted frameworks, while ensuring preservation of its unique
indigenous identity. Experts from Sri Lanka, Japan, Malaysia, USA, UK, Germany, Switzerland, UAE,
Singapore, Canada, and Australia shared region-specific inputs, enriching the quality and applicability of the
final draft documents.
The successful culmination of the expert review process represents a major step toward global acceptance of
Siddha. The finalized reports will support Member States in adopting high-quality Siddha education and
clinical standards, helping elevate Siddha as a credible part of global healthcare solutions. This event reflects
India’s growing leadership in the WHO Traditional Medicine strategy and strengthens the country's position
as a global knowledge hub for Ayush systems.***
MV/AKS/SG
(Release ID: 2148603)