"THE CONVERGENCE OF COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES AND MAINSTREAM MEDICINE WILL GREATLY BENEFIT THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY"

In conversation with BW Businessworld, Vicram Sharma also known as VIKRAM BAIDYANATH, Director at Baidyanath Group speaks on how Ayurveda is poised to lead world trends towards Integrative Medicine

- Tarannum Manjul

Your book Ayurveda Advantage has been receiving a lot of attention. What inspired you to write this book, and what is the key message?

Over the past many years I had seen so many of my friends, especially those who had hit their 40’s, spending vast sums of money on beauty products and cosmetic procedures. These ranged from exotic Korean potions to non-surgical and surgical interventions. At such times I would remember my feisty grandmother and grand-aunts, who, even when they were well into their 80’s, had clear, glowing complexions and glossy hair. Their teeth were intact, their bones strong, their energy levels high and their mental faculties as sharp as someone half their age.

I realised there was a need for greater awareness about the gifts of Ayurveda, especially for beauty and for the slowing of the ageing process. I scouted the bookshops in Khan Market in Delhi, looking for user-friendly books on Ayurveda for beginners. I was disappointed to find that most books were overly technical, dry and impenetrable.

I decided to write a book on ‘everyday Ayurveda’ that would make this knowledge accessible to the layperson. I wish to see Ayurveda as a part of daily living, with regular intake of super-plants such as tulsi, amla, giloy and supplements like chyawanprash, ashwagandha and rasayans, which nourish at cellular level and retard ageing. If people incorporate principles and prescriptions of Ayurveda in their everyday life, we will see a sharp decrease in chronic lifestyle diseases. The key message of the book is that Ayurveda is not a remote, esoteric science – it is accessible to all of us and relevant to our busy modern lifestyles.