Centre to set up separate council for Siddha medicine research

New Delhi, Mar 4 (ANI): The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the establishment of a separate Central Council for Research in 'Siddha' by bifurcating the existing Central Council of Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS), New Delhi.

The Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS) was established as an autonomous body in the year 1978.

The CCRAS since its inception as a separate council has carried out many research activities especially to promote Ayurveda and Siddha Systems of medicine.

In order to provide more attention to the development of this system, the Union Cabinet has given its approval for setting up a separate research council on Siddha with its headquarters at Chennai by bifurcating the existing Central Council of Research in Ayurveda and Siddha.

The proposed Central Council of Research in Siddha is to be set up on the pattern of the existing Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha.

The existing clinical research units in Siddha at Chennai, Puducherry, Palayam, Kottai, Thiruvananthapuram and the Survey of Medicinal Plants Unit and Siddha Medicinal Plants garden at Mettur will be brought under the proposed Central Council.

A separate post of Director General for the proposed Siddha Council at the level of a Joint Secretary will be created on par with the other similar research councils under the Department of AYUSH, along with the transfer of adequate number of staff to the new research council.

By setting up a separate Research Council of Siddha, it will be possible to give focused attention on development of Siddha and enable its propagation and use by the people in other parts of the country.

The 'Siddha' system is one of the oldest medical systems in India. This system is as old as Tamil language and is a part of the Dravidian culture.

The Tamil word 'Siddha' means achievement and the Tamil word 'Siddhars' denotes saintly persons who practiced and advocated the 'Siddha' system of medicine. The 'Siddha' system is largely therapeutic in nature.

Eighteen 'Siddhars' were said to have contributed towards the development of this medical system. 'Siddha' literature is in Tamil and it is practiced largely in Tamil speaking parts of India and by the Indian Diaspora in South East Asia. (ANI)