Editorial

Our country has 81,250 species of animal kingdom and 45.000 species of plants. Out of this large number, 15000 are of great medicinal value and 3200 are wild relatives of agricultural crops. Nearly one third of the species of plants in the country have medicinal value. In addition, there are also many medicinal varieties of rhizomes and mushrooms from Korea, China and Malasia.

Their identification and how they are related to Ayurveda, their classification, scientific studies and methods of preparation of the medicines according to the ancient texts have to be undertaken in our universities. We have more than two hundred and thirty universities.

Everybody knows the composition of many medicines but the people invariably buy only from the well-known manufactures. The same with the vaids. We have great doctors and great medicines. What is needed is progress to make people aware of the great treasure they have. We do have small problems but not insurmountable. We have a variety of languages and dialects and Sanskrit names are not fully understood or having the same meaning in various places. A few rare books do exist.

The universities have to draw upon the local scholars by inviting them to help the universities, identify the plants by international botanical names, and relate them with Sanskrit names and with names in every single language and dialect in India. Their composition and medicinal properties should be taken to the masses, particularly bringing their awareness to, the educated.

We have resources. But we do not know how to tap them. We have sources of knowledge. They have to spread the light to the nooks and corners of India. Journals, newspapers, university publications and

interviews in television - every single medium has to be used. This will in turn act as a catalyst to the universities and research centres and the whole system of teacher-student-parent cycle will be synergised. The co-operation between agriculture, laboratories and industries will be another useful fall out of this knowledge explosion. There are ways. What we need is a will.