Q. Your book Ayurveda Advantage has been receiving a lot of attention. What inspired you to write this book, and what is the key message?
A. Over of 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.
Q. In Ayurveda Advantage, you discuss the integration of traditional Ayurvedic practices with modern wellness trends. How can this integration benefit the healthcare industr y and individual well-being?
A. As you may be aware, there is already a trend in mainstream healthcare towards incorporating traditional medicines into allopathic treatments. Increasingly allopathic doctors are prescribing OTC Ayurvedic products alongside their own medicines. This convergence of complementary and mainstream therapies is going to hugely benefit the healthcare industry as it expands the definition of healthcare to include the idea of wellness into the ambit. As healthcare shifts to include the preventive with the curative, it will touch a far wider consumer base.
Q. How do you see the future of Ayurveda evolving, and what role do you envision Baidyanath playing in that evolution?
A. I foresee a full mainstreaming of alternative health systems, and among these Ayurveda is very much at the forefront. The government has undertaken a slew of measures to promote traditional medicines both through the Ministry of AYUSH as well as through other schemes. Coupled with resurgence of interest in holistic health and wellness as a result of the Covid pandemic, it has given a quantum boost to the industry. In 2021, Ayurveda had a product market in India worth Rs. 51,000 crores and is projected to record 19.8 per cent growth from 2022 to 2027.
The last few years have seen a veritable explosion of start-ups in the Ayurveda space. IRDAI, has recently issued directions to all insurance companies, telling them to cover Ayush treatments under regular health insurance. AYUSH refers to alternative therapies of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. This directive has come into effect from April 1st 2024.
Q. What are some of the biggest challenges you face as Director of Baidyanath Group, and how do you address them?
A. The manufacturing of Ayurvedic medicines is labour intensive as we have for the longest time, followed traditional methodologies of preparation, exactly as described in the classical texts - the Charaka Samhita, the Bhaisajya Ratnavali and the Ashtanga Hrdyam. Therefore, as a Company, we are particularly vulnerable to labour problems and trade unionism.
Standardisation is always a challenge. Working with herbs means that the quality of raw materials can vary greatly depending on soil health and agricultural practices. Also, manufacturing processes are sensitive to seasonal factors like humidity and temperature. Baidyanath does not take shortcuts to address these environmental challenges. For instance, we use traditional methods of continuous hydro-alcoholic extraction to prepare our asavas and arishtas. Today, some manufacturers use yeast to hasten their fermentation processes in the manufacture of asavas and arishtas. This makes their production faster and cheaper but compromises the efficacy of the product. We at Baidyanath never prioritise profit over purity.
To address these challenges, we have invested heavily in HR best practices, and we are working towards greater mechanisation of our manufacturing processes to achieve standardisation of products.
Q. How is Baidyanath incorporating modern technology and research into the traditional practices of Ayurveda?
A. We are moving towards greater mechanisation, replacing human hands with machines, and human judgement with precision instruments. This will reduce our dependence on labour as well as eliminate risk of contaminants.
But what is truly exciting are the new formulations that our in-house vaids have been working on in collaboration with scientists at Benaras Hindu University. These new formulations will be launched under the umbrella of ‘Ayurveda Advantage’ a company founded by my brother Harsh Sharma, President, Baidyanath Group.
Customised medicines are the next big thing, and we at Baidyanath are in a position to offer that possibility to people. Ayurveda sees each individual as unique, and in conjunction with our vaids, we can create unique formulations tailor made according to the doshas of the patient.
