Reimagining Ayurveda Day: A Call For Meaningful Celebration Beyond The PR Machinery

Reimagining Ayurveda Day: A Call for Meaningful Celebration Beyond the PR Machinery

By Dr. Aakash Kembhavi

About the Author: Dr. Aakash Kembhavi is a distinguished Ayurvedic practitioner and academician with over 25 years of experience in the field. A double gold medalist and university topper during his BAMS, he holds an MD from Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar, and advanced qualifications in counseling and psychotherapy. Currently serving as Principal at Jain AGM Ayurvedic Medical College and Director at Astanga Wellness Pvt Ltd, Dr. Kembhavi has taught at prestigious institutions including Thames Valley University, London, and serves on multiple editorial boards and academic committees. His extensive involvement in Ayurvedic education, research, and practice—from grassroots clinical work to international academic collaborations—provides him with a comprehensive perspective on the current state and future potential of Ayurvedic medicine.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are personal opinions based on individual observations and experiences within the Ayurvedic education system. They are not intended to degrade, discourage, or prevent others from celebrating Ayurveda Day, nor do they constitute a comment on the sincere efforts of various organizations and individuals working in this field.

As we mark the 10th Ayurveda Day today, it’s time for an honest conversation—one that many in our fraternity think about privately but hesitate to voice publicly. After decades of involvement in Ayurvedic education, from being a student to teaching at international universities, from clinical practice to administrative roles, I feel compelled to share observations that may be uncomfortable but are necessary for the authentic growth of our beloved science.

The Mandatory Event Culture: When Celebration Becomes Burden

The noble intention behind establishing Ayurveda Day was to promote awareness and preserve our ancient wisdom. However, what we’ve witnessed over the past decade is the evolution of a “mandatory event culture” that has transformed meaningful observance into a bureaucratic exercise.

NCISM’s well-intentioned circulars mandating activities have inadvertently created a system where institutions scramble to organize events—not out of genuine enthusiasm, but out of compliance necessity. Health camps, awareness campaigns, and expo-style events, while valuable in concept, have become customary rituals performed more for documentation than impact.

The Competition Trap

Rather than fostering collaboration between institutions—which could lead to more substantial and far-reaching initiatives—the current system promotes competition. Colleges are pitted against each other, with these events becoming criteria for annual inspection processes. This approach transforms what should be a celebration of shared knowledge into a burden that principals and faculty bear with increasing reluctance.

The academic community finds itself caught in an endless cycle of mandatory events—one circular after another, each demanding institutional participation for separate occasions. What was meant to be educational has morphed into a PR machinery where the focus shifts from substance to documentation, from learning to compliance.

The Faculty Dilemma: Teachers Becoming Event Managers

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this culture is how it has redefined the role of educators. Faculty members, who should be guiding students through the profound depths of Ayurvedic knowledge, find themselves becoming event managers and logistics coordinators. While guidance and supervision are natural extensions of teaching, the extensive planning and execution required for these mandatory events pulls educators away from their primary calling.

The disruption to academic timetables and student learning flow is significant yet rarely acknowledged. Many faculty members harbor growing disillusionment with this approach but remain silent, fearing scrutiny or administrative repercussions. This silence, born of institutional pressure, prevents the honest dialogue needed for meaningful reform.

The Student Disconnect: Participation Without Passion

The most concerning observation comes from watching our students—the future of Ayurveda—during these events. When students are marched out for awareness rallies under threat of disciplinary action, their lack of genuine engagement becomes painfully apparent. Despite being immersed in the Ayurvedic system, many appear disconnected from its essence.

During awareness marches, one can observe students more engaged with their mobile phones and selfies than with the message they’re supposed to convey. When they shout slogans, the absence of real passion is palpable. Their behavior, often out of sync with what they represent, is noticed by the public—the very people we’re trying to reach and inspire.

This disconnect raises a fundamental question: if students within our system are not genuinely connected to Ayurveda’s principles, how can we expect them to authentically convey its value to society?

The Photo-Op Reality

Ultimately, many of these events become elaborate photo opportunities designed primarily for local newspaper coverage—evidence to submit to NCISM that the institution has fulfilled its obligations. The focus shifts from meaningful community engagement to generating visible proof of compliance.

The irony is stark: while we organize grand awareness campaigns for the public, our own students remain largely unaware of Ayurveda’s practical relevance in their daily lives. We’ve created a system where form trumps substance, where documentation matters more than genuine understanding.

A Path Forward: Recommendations for Authentic Change

1. Shift from Mandates to Voluntary Excellence

Replace mandatory participation with voluntary excellence. Recognize and reward institutions that demonstrate genuine innovation and community impact rather than mere compliance with prescribed activities.

2. Foster Inter-Institutional Collaboration

Encourage collaborative projects between colleges that pool resources and expertise for more substantial initiatives. Replace competition with cooperation, creating regional consortiums for meaningful Ayurveda promotion.

3. Empower Student-Led Initiatives

Give students ownership of Ayurveda Day activities. Allow them to design and execute programs that resonate with their understanding and passion. Student-driven initiatives often have more authenticity and peer appeal than faculty-mandated events.

4. Focus on Internal Connection Before External Promotion

Before organizing public awareness campaigns, ensure that students and faculty are genuinely connected to Ayurvedic principles. Conduct workshops that help them integrate Ayurveda into their personal lives, making them authentic ambassadors.

5. Measure Impact, Not Activity

Develop metrics that assess actual community impact rather than counting the number of events organized. Track follow-up engagement, behavioral changes in target communities, and long-term awareness levels.

6. Create Safe Spaces for Honest Feedback

Establish anonymous channels for faculty and students to provide honest feedback about current practices without fear of administrative repercussions. Use this feedback to continuously improve approaches.

7. Integrate with Academic Calendar

Instead of disrupting regular academic schedules, integrate Ayurveda Day activities with ongoing curriculum. Make it an opportunity for students to apply classroom learning in real-world contexts.

8. Quality Over Quantity

Organize fewer, more meaningful events rather than multiple superficial ones. A single well-planned, authentically executed program often has more impact than numerous mandatory activities.

The Deeper Issue: Reconnecting with Purpose

The challenges we face with Ayurveda Day reflect a broader issue within our educational system—a gradual drift from the experiential wisdom of Ayurveda toward mere academic knowledge. Our ancient science was built on the foundation of personal experience, direct observation, and practical application. Today’s approach often reduces it to theoretical concepts divorced from lived experience.

Students march in rallies about Ayurveda while relying on allopathic medicine for their own health issues. They memorize slokas about dinacharya (daily routine) while following lifestyles completely contrary to Ayurvedic principles. This disconnect between learning and living undermines the authenticity of any outreach efforts.

A Vision for Transformation

Imagine an Ayurveda Day where students genuinely embody the principles they promote. Where faculty members are excited to participate because they see real opportunities for community service and knowledge sharing. Where the public encounters authentic practitioners who live what they teach.

This vision requires moving beyond the current compliance-based model to one founded on genuine engagement with Ayurvedic principles. It means recognizing that true awareness cannot be created through mandatory participation but only through authentic understanding and personal transformation.

Conclusion: Honoring the True Spirit of Ayurveda

As we reflect on this 10th Ayurveda Day, let’s commit to honoring the true spirit of our ancient science. Ayurveda teaches us about balance, authenticity, and the interconnectedness of all life. Our observance of Ayurveda Day should reflect these same principles.

The goal is not to abandon celebration but to transform it. Not to criticize sincere efforts but to channel them more effectively. Not to discourage participation but to make it meaningful.

We owe it to the maharishis who gifted us this profound knowledge, to the countless practitioners who have preserved it through generations, and to the millions who could benefit from authentic Ayurvedic wisdom. Most importantly, we owe it to our students—the future guardians of this tradition—to provide them with experiences that genuinely connect them to the transformative power of Ayurveda.

Only when we move beyond the PR machinery and mandatory compliance culture can we create an Ayurveda Day that truly serves its intended purpose: inspiring a deeper connection with the timeless wisdom that Ayurveda represents.

The ancient rishis didn’t create Ayurveda for photo opportunities or newspaper coverage. They created it as a pathway to health, harmony, and self-realization. Our observance of Ayurveda Day should honor this legacy by focusing on substance over spectacle, understanding over compliance, and authentic transformation over superficial awareness.

Dr. Aakash Kembhavi is Principal at Jain AGM Ayurvedic Medical College and Director at Astanga Wellness Pvt Ltd, Hubli. With over 25 years in Ayurvedic practice and education, he has served as Visiting Professor at Thames Valley University, London, and continues to work toward authentic integration of traditional wisdom with contemporary healthcare needs.

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