President Ram Nath Kovind, while laying the foundation stone of the Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath Ayush University of Uttar Pradesh in Gorakhpur, the first in the state, said that AYUSH played a very significant role in containing the second wave of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country.
He said the importance of AYUSH techniques was known from Vedic times to modern times.
President Kovind laid the foundation stone of Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath Ayush University in Pipri, Bhahat on Saturday, by performing bhoomi pujan amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras and then unveiled the foundation stone from the stage by pressing the button.
The country's First Lady Savita Kovind, Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were also present in the bhoomi pujan programme.
President Kovind also inaugurated Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath University at Maniram Sonbarsa after laying the foundation stone of the Ayush university.
Addressing the gathering, President Kovind said, “Our ancestors have given utmost importance to healthcare since ancient Vedic times. They believed that the body is the first tool to achieve any goal."
He said Mahayogi Gorakhnath, who awakened the spirit of social awakening through yoga, had said, “Yade Sukham Tad: Swargam, Yade Dukham Tad Narkam.”
The President said that the methods of keeping the body healthy, which were prevalent since ancient times, were collectively called AYUSH. He expressed happiness to say that the Ayush university was being established in the name of Mahayogi Gorakhnath and soon all AYUSH institutes in Uttar Pradesh would be able to do better work by being affiliated with it.
"We are all familiar with the usefulness of yoga in the field of public health. Besides, yoga of India is as ancient as its culture,” he added.
President Kovind said that there were many types of medical systems in India for the health care. "Systematic education of these medicines is given from AYUSH schools. In South India today many people are adopting AYUSH system of medicine. In the same way, Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath Ayush University will become a great medium to take forward the system of AYUSH medicine in the state," he added.
He said, “Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath had established the glory of yoga in the whole world."
Referring to all the verses of Guru Gorakhnath related to yoga practice, President Kovind said that to keep the body healthy, it was a must to do yoga regularly. He said that today the whole world was adopting the traditional system of medicine of India. By adopting these methods, incurable diseases are easily treated and life becomes happy, he added
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed President Kovind by presenting a bouquet on the stage. AYUSH Minister Dharamsingh Saini gave detailed information about the Ayush University in his address. He said that this university would be completed in just 36 months.
After his address, President Kovind unveiled the plaque.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given India's traditional medicine system a global recognition.
“Today International Yoga Day is being celebrated every year around the globe. The Government of India has formed a separate Ministry of AYUSH. This ministry has set a target of providing health care to the people. There is an outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in the whole world for one-and-a-half years. There is no country in the world which has not followed the traditional Ayurvedic system of medicine of India. Today, there is a queue in the world to drink turmeric water whereas turmeric has been used in every food item in India since ages. In order to take Ayurvedic, Unani, Homeopathic systems of medicine forward, the UP government is going to establish Ayush University," the chief minister said
This university will provide uniformity to the academic session of all AYUSH schools and homeopathic colleges in the state. This university will be built at a cost of Rs 300 crore.