The CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu and the National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR), Leh have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing traditional medicine through a collaborative partnership. A review meeting was held at the institute where Director Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, CSIR-IIIM, Jammu and Dr. Padma Gurmet, Director NISR, Leh, discussed the progress of their ongoing collaboration and outlined a roadmap for future initiatives. During the meeting, Heads of both institutes reviewed the work accomplished since the signing of the MoU. Discussions covered key areas such as expanding research efforts, ensuring the quality and efficacy of Sowa-Rigpa medicines, and strengthening collaboration between scientists from both institutions. The meeting also emphasized the importance of developing a structured approach to bring traditional medicines into mainstream healthcare through scientific validation and modern research methodologies.

The CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, a premier R&D institution of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), under union Ministry of Science & Technology, is specialized in drug discovery, biotechnology, and natural products driven research. The institute focuses on standardizing traditional medicines, developing pharmaceutical applications of medicinal plants, validating herbal formulations, and promoting sustainable cultivation in the Western Himalayas. The National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR), Leh, under the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, is committed to the preservation, promotion, and scientific research of the Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine. The institute focuses on scientific validation of therapies, practitioner training, and integrating Sowa-Rigpa into modern healthcare solutions. Pertinently both the institutions have Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which focuses on the scientific validation, standardization, and quality control of traditional medicines, particularly those used in the Sowa-Rigpa system.

This partnership aims to integrate traditional knowledge with modern scientific research to develop new therapeutic applications and promote the global recognition of Indian traditional medicine. It is also important to note that both the institutions recognize the importance of merging traditional medicine with modern research to enhance its credibility and global acceptance. The discussions at the meeting concluded with a commitment to deepen research collaboration, explore new medicinal formulations, and enhance the application of Sowa-Rigpa in healthcare. The partnership between CSIR-IIIM and NISR represents a significant step towards the scientific validation and modernization of Indian traditional medicine systems. Er. Abdul Rahim, Head RMBT & IST and IIIM Branch Lab. Srinagar who is overseeing the implementation of CSIR Initiatives for Ladakh UT as also present in the review meeting.