CHANDIGARH,22.04.24-The 2nd National Conference on Natural Products/AYUSH System of Medicine was successfully completed in the Nehru Hospital, PGIMER, Chandigarh, under supervision of Professor Bikash Medhi (Organizing Chairman), from 19th– 21stApril, 2024.

The conference aimed to focus on establishing a unified platform for clinical and Ayurvedic research, as well as for exploring the pharmacology and clinical applications of natural products and AYUSH medicines. The conference emphasized on evidence-based practices, safety and quality-control, drug interactions, and regulatory matters.This time it also focused on fostering the collaboration and coordination among the stakeholders for the promotion and development of the medicinal plants sector.

Around 240 delegatesfrom prestigious institutes of (Shoolini University Solan, AIIMS Bhopal, Miranda House Delhi,Central university of Punjab Bathinda, PSGR Krishnammal College for Women Coimbatore,GMC Amritsar, AKTU Lucknow, Patna Medical College, Manipur University. etc.) from all over India (25 states and 4 Union territories of India)joined the conference in both online and offline mode and received 152 abstracts for oral and poster presentations.The conference started with a welcome address by Prof. Bikash Medhi (Organizing chairman). Prof. Dulal Panda (Director, NIPER Mohali), Dr. Om Prakash Chaurasia (Director, DIHAR Leh), Prof. Mahesh Dhadich (CEO, NMPB),Dr. Arun Chandan (Director, RCFC-NR-I, NMPB),Prof. Sanjay Bhadada (PGI, Chandigarh), Prof. YK Gupta(President, AIIMS Bhopal/Jammu), Dr. Vijay Bharti (Scientist-F, DRDO) and Dr. Ajay Prakash (Organizing secretary)inaugurated the workshop.Dr. Deeksha Salaria and Er. Rajan Rolta, the co-organizing secretaries, had highlighted all the modules of the workshop to the delegates.

Scientific session of the training program comprised of lectures from eminent personalities & scientists includingDr. Shahid Rasool CSIR-IIIM Srinagar, Dr. Ravinder Raina UHF Solan, Prof. V.R. Sinha Panjab University, Chandigarh, Prof. Nagender Kaushik Kwangwoon University, South Korea, and Prof. Inder Pal Singh NIPER, Prof. Sanjay Jhachak NIPER, Dr. Gaurav Pratap Singh IPC New Delhi,Dr. Debabrata Kanungo, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare GOI and others.
The conference also highlighted the role of pharmacopoeia standards for ensuring quality of medicines.Prof Bikash Medhi, Organizing Chairman presented the report of the workshop and Dr. Ajay Prakash had taken feedback from the participants.