With research, clinical evaluation and institutional expansion spreading, the 9th National Naturopathy Day, on November 18, focuses on preventive healthcare.
India’s naturopathy movement is entering a new phase, gradually shifting from its traditional nature-cure identity towards a healthcare approach increasingly shaped by scientific research, clinical assessment and formal education.
This transition will be in focus on November 18, when the country observes the 9th National Naturopathy Day at the Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy (CRIYN), Nagamangala, Karnataka. The theme, ‘Prakrutik Chikitsa, Swasth Bharat’, emphasises prevention, healthier lifestyles and the management of lifestyle-related health risks.
As obesity, stress and other lifestyle disorders become major public health concerns, naturopathy’s focus on nutrition, physical activity, adequate rest and stress management is receiving renewed attention. However, its wider acceptance increasingly depends on establishing the scientific credibility of its practices.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav, has stressed the need to strengthen naturopathy through credible research, quality education and responsible integration with conventional healthcare. Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha has likewise highlighted scientific validation and clinical evaluation as essential to its future development.
Institutional research is emerging as a key driver of this shift. The Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) published several papers in peer-reviewed journals during 2025–26. Collectively, five research councils under the Ministry of Ayush published 653 research papers during the financial year. CCRYN also operates 22 units across the country.
The infrastructure supporting the discipline is expanding too. Two 200-bed Yoga and Naturopathy hospitals have been established at Jhajjar in Haryana and Nagamangala in Karnataka. The Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences college at Nisarg Gram, Pune, is adding to the academic and clinical training network.
Meanwhile, the National Institute of Naturopathy, Pune, has strengthened its research activities through ethics oversight, clinical research training, observational studies and academic collaborations.
The larger challenge now is to conduct research for reliable healthcare practices. As India marks Naturopathy Day, the emphasis is increasingly on evidence, education and prevention rather than tradition alone.
Reference: Press Information Bureau
