[CA] National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR)

The Union Cabinet has approved setting up of National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) at Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh.

Key facts:

·        It will be an autonomous national institute under the Ministry of AYUSH with the mandate to undertake interdisciplinary education and research programmes in Sowa-Rigpa in collaboration with national and international institutes.

·        It will act as an apex institute for Sowa-Rigpa system. The existing Sowa-Rigpa institutions work under the Ministry of Culture.

What is Sowa -Rigpa?

·        It is a traditional system of medicine practised in the Himalayan belt of India.

·        It originated in Tibet and popularly practiced in countries namely, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, and Russia.

·        The majority of theory and practice of Sowa-Rigpa is similar to “Ayurveda”.

·        Yuthog Yonten Gonpo from Tibet is believed to be the father of Sowa Rigpa.

·        The basic theory of Sowa-Rigpa may be adumbrated in terms of the following five points:

Ø The body in disease as the locus of treatment.

Ø Antidote, i.e., the treatment.

Ø The method of treatment through antidote.

Ø Medicine that cures the disease.

Ø Materia Medica, Pharmacy & Pharmacology.