Ayurveda,as such does not need any introduction to the people of India.Till recently,Ayurveda has been practised by most households and stayed as a mainstream health care system in country.In march 1955,the department of Indian systems of medicine and homeography (ISM&H) was created by the government of India. Later in November 2003, this department was renamed as the department of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeography) under the Ministry Of Health and Family welfare, government Of India. The primary objective of the Department of AYUSH is to provide focused attention to the development of education and research in Ayurveda, Yoga and naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy systems of medicines. The Department Lays Emphasis on up gradation of AYUSH educational standards, quality Control and Standardization of drugs, improving the availability of medicinal plant material, research and development, and awareness generation about the efficacy of the systems domestically and internationally. Today almost all state Government has a department of AYUSH pushing traditional Indian Systems of medicine to the mainstream.
The national Rural Health Mission (2005-12) is a major programme of the Government of India. The NRHM seeks to provide effective health care to the rural population throughout the country with special focus on 18 states, which have week public health indicators and weak infrastructure. Among its various goals, the one that pertains to the Ayurveda sector is its goal on revitalizing local health traditions and mainstreaming AYUSH systems of medicines into the public health system.
With the efforts of the government and several non-government organizations, Ayurveda is slowly and steadily coming back to its pre-eminent position. One of the awareness generation activities needs special mention here. The world Ayurveda Congress and AROGYA Expo, Organized by Vijnana Bharati, which is ably supported the Department of AYUSH, is a massive promotional event on Ayurveda that attracts all stakeholders, both national and international. Began in 2002 and held every two years, the world Ayurveda Congress has completed its Sixth Edition in 2014 at New Delhi. The Honourable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi has given the valedictory address in the sixth edition of the world Ayurveda Congress and immediately after three hours, a new ministry for AYUSH was declared by the Union Government. In each of its editions, the AROGYA Expo-an exhibition that displays Ayurvedic products, treatment methodologies and educational institutions-generates awareness among lakhs of common citizens. Today, the government of India actively promotes Ayurveda in various countries as well.