An Article by Dr Shubhamangala Acharya, Agnivesha Ayurveda Anushtana
For the first time since its inception in 2016, Ayurveda Day will now be celebrated on a fixed date — 23 September — every year, as notified by the Government of India in March 2025. Earlier, it was observed on Dhanvantari Jayanti (Dhanteras). The shift provides Ayurveda with a universal calendar identity, strengthening global participation and recognition.
The theme for 2025, “Ayurveda for People & Planet”, was announced by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav.
“Ayurveda for people and planet” offers a universal approach to healing that nurtures individual well-being while fostering harmony with nature. Ayurveda Day 2025 aims to further position Ayurveda as a modern solution to lifestyle diseases, climate-related health challenges, and stress management.
Lifestyle Diseases are a major public health problem globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 71% of all deaths globally were attributed to Lifestyle Diseases, a subset of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Long-term stress may lead to distress, which is the major cause of physical diseases like hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, acidity, and mental conditions like anxiety, depression, etc.
Climate change is directly contributing to humanitarian emergencies, including heatwaves, wildfires, floods, tropical storms, and hurricanes, which are increasing in scale, frequency, and intensity. Research indicates that 3.6 billion people already reside in areas highly vulnerable to climate change.
The definition of Ayurveda has an answer to the above problems. Acharya Charaka writes that “The science which changes Ahitaayu (unhealthy life) to Hitaayu (healthy life), from Dukhaayu (miserable life) to Sukhayu (pleasant life) is Ayurveda.” This science not only deals with our physical health but also mental and spiritual aspects.
Ayurveda considers the mind and body to be interconnected, and according to Acharya Sushruta, the definition of health is that a person is considered swastha when, along with physical health, the indriyas (senses), manas (mind), and Atma (soul) are in a pleasant condition.
The primary goal of Ayurveda is to maintain health by following specific daily and seasonal routines,(dinacharya and Rutucharya along with that sadvrutta or Achara Rasayana, which encompasses good mental, social, personal, moral, and religious conduct. Additionally, one should not suppress natural bodily urges such as urination, defecation, flatulence, hunger, thirst etc. It is also important to manage mental urges like kama, krodha, lobha, and others.
At the global level, educating people about dinacharya (daily regime) according to their environment, food pattern, and their prakriti (constitution) is important. The same goes for the seasonal regime. Ayurveda texts always stress on consumption of locally grown food, which helps in proper nourishment.
The concept of Agni should be propagated well in society. Agni is responsible for strength, health, and longevity, and it determines the quantity of food to be consumed. By maintaining Agni, people can withstand the climate changes around them and they can develop good immunity during epidemic diseases, which may develop due to floods, famine, etc.
“Loka Purusha Saamya Siddhanta,” as explained in the Ayurveda Samhitas, means that a human being is the smallest unit of the universe. This concept is reflected in “Ayurveda for People and Planet,” which can be interpreted to mean that the nature, dietary patterns, and lifestyle of a population in a particular area should be in harmony with their surrounding environment.
