The National Institute of Sowa Rigpa (NISR) is set to launch a groundbreaking healthcare facility in Arunachal Pradesh within the next two to three months, Director Dr. Padma Gurmet announced today. This initiative marks a significant step in promoting the ancient Himalayan medical system of Sowa Rigpa, recognized by India’s Ministry of AYUSH as a vital traditional healing practice.

Sowa Rigpa, meaning “knowledge of healing” in the Bhoti language, is one of the world’s oldest medical traditions, widely practiced in Himalayan regions like Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal’s Darjeeling, as well as in parts of China, Mongolia, Nepal, Bhutan, and Russia. The system emphasizes holistic healing through herbal remedies, diet, and therapies tailored to the Himalayan environment.

Since its establishment in 2020, following an announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019, NISR has made remarkable strides. The institute, based in Leh, launched its five-year Bachelor of Sowa Rigpa Medicine and Surgery (BSRMS) program within its first year, with admissions based on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) conducted by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine. “Our first batch of 10 students, enrolled in 2021, will graduate next year, and we’ve just inducted our fifth batch,” Gurmet told PTI.

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The upcoming Arunachal facility aims to deliver accessible, high-quality healthcare rooted in Sowa Rigpa principles, addressing public health needs in the region’s rugged terrain. NISR is also planning a new campus in Sikkim, expanding its outreach through seminars and workshops, such as the recent Regional Workshop on Sowa Rigpa and Medicinal Plants in Arunachal’s Dirang.

Infrastructure development is progressing rapidly, with Rs 40 crore allocated by the central government for a new academic building, hostels, and a hospital in Leh, expected to be completed within three to four years. To support its growth, NISR is recruiting for 49 positions, including teaching and laboratory staff, with the second phase of hiring underway.

Gurmet emphasized NISR’s mission to blend traditional wisdom with modern science, fostering research, drug safety evaluation, and standardized healthcare delivery. The institute’s Trans-Himalayan Herbal Garden in Leh, spanning 10 hectares, supports this vision by cultivating medicinal plants for research and treatment.

This expansion underscores Arunachal Pradesh’s growing role in preserving and promoting Sowa Rigpa, offering a model for sustainable healthcare that honors India’s rich cultural heritage.

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