December 2018

www.theasianindependent.co.uk
Ayurveda Day was celebrated on 21st
November 2018 for the first time in the European
Parliament, Brussels. The discussions and celebrations
were hosted by British Conservative MEP,
Geoffrey VAN ORDEN MBE, Chairman of the
European Parliament's Delegation for Relations
with India and Her Excellency Ms Gaitri Issar
KUMARAmbassador of India to the Belgium,
Luxembourg and the EU and guided by Amarjeetsingh
BHAMRA, from the UK Parliament's
AllParty Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Indian
Traditional Sciences. The Ayurveda Day has been
celebrated in the British Parliamentregularly since
the formation of the APPG Indian Traditional
Sciences.
As well as European Parliamentarians, some 60
delegates came from across Europe, India, the
USA and Peru, including many Distinguished
Academics, Ayurvedic Doctors, Integrative
Clinicians, GP's, Hospital Directors, Practitioners,
College Principals, Manufacturers, Traders as well
as Leaders of Ayurvedic Associations andWorld
Health Organisation attended to share, update and
plan the political strategies, circumstances and
progress of Preventive Healthcare Systems from
17 countries.
Mr Alojz PETERLE MEP former Prime
Minister of Slovenia, welcomed the first celebration
of Ayurveda in the European Parliament. He
stressed that Traditional Sciences are not less scientific
than modern science and needs to be given
its due respect. The aim should be not to test the
efficacy of Ayurveda but to offer patients real
choice. Patients are well informed andpluralism in
medical modalities is required.He suggested that in
India, western medicine should be the Alternative
or complimentary modality and Ayurveda the
mainstay.
Mr Peterle also shared a personal anecdote of a
friend who was on the list for knee surgery and
benefitted from Ayurvedic treatment. This cheaper
treatment prevented this friend from undergoing
costly knee surgery. He explained to the meeting
the main barrier to overcome regarding the progression
of Ayurveda into mainstream healthcare
was the modern demand for "science" and "proof".
Mr Peterle explained that 'the modern world is very
interested in an evidence base, however just
because the current evidence-based model cannot
identify evidence, that does not mean the evidence
is not there'.
His words were well received.
The modern definition of evidence seeks efficacy,
which is simple to assess for chemical interventions.
In chemical testing, it is easy to show that
one chemical has an action on another chemical,
and it is simple to adjust the characteristics of a
chemical to fit the intended action. However, in
Ayurveda, the model of working is not efficacious,
but rather effective: a whole person, whole health
outcome based on multiple variables rather than
the actions of one synthetic chemical upon another.
Mr Peterle ended his talk with a reminder that it
is not natural or traditional medicine that is the
alternative treatment, the alternative treatment is
pharmaceutical.
Mr Jo LEINEN is a German politician and
Member of the European Parliament from
Germany. He is a member of the Social
Democratic Party, part of the Party of European
Socialists. He is well known for his environmental
and foreign affairs activities, as well as for his support
for a Federal Europe. He spoke expressively
on Ayurveda as a preventative medicine, which
keeps us healthy. With western health care systems
focused on disease, a preventative system is welcome,
said Mr Leinen during Ayurveda Day celebrations.
Mr Leinen thanked and agreed to support
the work of Amarjeet S. Bhamra of the APPG
Indian Traditional Sciences and his international
efforts to protect and promote the Ayurveda
System of Medicine.
The host, Mr Van Orden said: "We have much to
learn from Ayurveda as a way to prevent disease
and to deal with chronic illnesses. I feel sure we
would all benefit if Ayurveda was better understood
and appreciated in the West.Among the challenges
are the need for improved methods of verification
of the benefits of Ayurveda and for proper
certification and professional accreditation of practitioners."
He agreed with Mr Peterle, and reiterated that
all of the good outcomes of Ayurveda must be
logged, recorded and presented to policymakers
and the rest of the world. He explained that seeing
the congregation of experts, academics, clinicians
and politicians from all over the world is surely a
great sign that developing a body of evidence is
possible.
Mr Van Orden read a petition that will be
launched shortly to gather one million strong signatures
for the European Parliament to review and
debate Ayurveda and Traditional Medicines.
Hon. Ms Gaitri Kumar - Indian Ambassador
stressed the essential role that Ayurveda played in
the lives of Indian citizens on a daily basis. From
the kitchen to the medicine cupboard, Ayurveda
was used daily.
She also reiterated the AYUSH commitment to
poly medicines. Patients require choice and should
not just be limited to western medicine.
The Indian Ambassador also said it was both
fantastic and inspiring to see the congregation of
such an amazing gathering all passionately speaking
about what interests them the most. The event
was about ancient science, but not science in the
modern sense. She reiterated the issue of evidence,
and suggested that perhaps there needs to be a
renewed look at what evidence is: do we need to
see the effect of Ayurveda in a Petri dish, or is the
clear, discernible benefits of yoga to people suffering
from arthritis good enough? She reminded the
group of the importance of collecting evidence,
and suggested that perhaps there should be a Chair
appointed to co-ordinate activities and generate the
UNITED KINGDOM
research and evidence the Western World would
like to see.
Prof. Madan THANGAVELU, stated that this
well attended event was a show of strength for the
Ayurvedic cause. On behalf of the APPG Indian
Traditional Sciences, he made a presentation of a
joint statement between EU and India regarding
moving Indian Traditional Sciences forward.
Prof. Tony NADER, the head of the worldwide
Maharishi Organisation via Skype offered similar
direction to Mr Leinenand stressed that Ayurveda
was preventative and personalised medicine.
Peoples physiology differed and Ayurveda
addressed this issue. Because Ayurvedic techniques
are so simple and easily assimilated in to
everyday live - it is considered kitchen medicine.
But Ayurveda played another role - it looks into
human consciousness and awareness. Our experience
of life is based on our awareness and consciousness.
But other systems of healthcare do not
acknowledge this aspect of the human. When you
develop consciousness, physiology improves.
Ayurveda is the best system of medicine to make
life on earth happier.
Dr Geeta PILLAI from the World Health
Organisation's Traditional Medicines Committee,
reiterated the message of the importance
ofTraditional Medicinal Systems. Getting regulation
right is essential, he said, as if the regulatory
structure is not right, then we may inadvertently
harm or restrict the practice of Ayurveda, rather
than help or promote it. All the work that has been
done by WHO is geared towards promoting an
essential preventive healthcare method. The WHO
does not distinguish between traditional and complimentary
medicine. They are looking for what
works. The WHO is focused on patient centred
medicine.
Prof. Dr.Venkata JOSHI, principal lecturer at
December 2018
First Ayurveda Day celebration in the European Parliament
5
the College of Ayurveda UK speaking on the theme
of this gathering, Ayurveda for Public health, said,
Ayurveda is steeped in individualised medicine
and brings stability to the being. He discussed
physiology from an Ayurvedic perspective stressing
how this system addressed all aspects of the
human being - from physiology to psychology.
Ms. Ragasudha VINJAMURI, a renowned
Bharatnatyam dancerexplained the legendarycultural
dance origin of Lord Dhanvantari (father of
Ayurveda)through herdance movement.
Esteemed Delegates in all their imposing ways
shared the fundamental prescription of choice of
freedom in order to achieve our goals. We would
like to grow and ensure that the Ayurveda professionals
arerecognized as equal to other registered
medical professionals in the European Union.
Wesee a bright future for Ayurveda in Europe and
will contribute our best efforts to ensure
thatAyurveda becomes fully integrated in
European Health System. Therefore, we welcome
and salutethis brave new initiative launched by the
UK All Party Parliamentary Group Indian
Traditional Sciences to unite Ayurveda fraternity
from all over Europe and the rest of theworld and
give them voice in the European Parliament.
Speakers as well as participants included:
Juliette INVERDALE, Rajinder K SINGH,
BrittanySPENCE, Elizabeth GIBBENS, Dr
WalterMOELK, Deniz GULER HILHORST,
ElisabethDE WACHTER, Minakoemarie MAN-
GRE, Dr AvtarSINGH, GordonBRENNAN,
Khushboo MEHTA, Leyla MOUDDEN, Dr
Mauroof ATHIQUE, Dr NitashaBULDEO,
CarlaVAN DIJK, CornelisPETERS,
TamaraSLIJEPCEVIC, GayatriPURANIK,
GudrunBUCHZIK, Dr HarshaGRAMMINGER,
LotharPIRC, MartinRICKINGER, Mark ROSEN-
BERG, Rolf DietrichWACHSMUTH,
StephanHEIN, Werner LUEDEMAN, Dr Geetha
PILLAI, Dr SrikanthbabuPERUGU,
ThomasMULLINS,
CarmenLEGUA,
RolandoCALCINA, Amandio FIGUEIREDO,
Gordana PETROVIC, Antonio FLORES,
JoseRODRIGUEZ, Jose RamonRUBIO LAPOR-
TA, JuanROURA, Maria CORDON, Maria CEJU-
DO, Sergio VIANA, Alice RAGHUBAR-GOEP-
TAR, Dravin RAGHUBAR,
SawitrieRAMCHARAN, Tomas PFEIFFER,
Ludmila DOLAKOVA, Alena DUDAKOVAand
Dr Ton NICOLAI.
A presentation of a sculpture of Hanuman was
giftedon behalf of Shreemati Bhartidevi Kantaria,
daughter of Pujya Shree Rambaba to the European
Parliament by Amarjeet S Bhamra, as symbol of
Sanjeevani herb for Ayurveda. Gift bags were
offered with Ayurvedic products generously donated
by Ms. Gudrun Buchzik of Maharishi Europe
Netherlands and Ms. Gayatri Puranik of
Aashwamedh Germany.
Amarjeet S. Bhamra. Traditional Medicines and
Indian Sciences, he said, is something that people
the world over would like to see practiced. He was
grateful for the opportunity provided by Mr.
Geoffrey Van Orden MEP the host of the meeting
along with Hon. Ms Gaitri Kumar - Indian
Ambassador who kindly supported this milestone
event, recognising the All Party Parliamentary
Group - Indian traditional Sciences to lead the way
for Integrated Medicine in which Ayurveda along
with its sister sciences would play a vital role. He
also graciously thanked European Parliamentarians
Mr Peterle and Mr Leinen, all speakers and an
amazing effort of all participants from the
European continent as well as India, Peru and USA
to shape future discussions with the European
authorities.
Amarjeet S. Bhamra called for a high-powered
committee to convene an operational structure to
progress the contributions, findings and recommendations
made by the high-ranking experts that
congregated together today in support of Ayurveda
at the EU Parliament including officials from the
Indian Government. And not to lose the momentum,
APPG Indian Traditional Sciences will be
looking forward to coordinate the next meetingearly
in the new year.