The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) is a public institution of medical education and research dedicated to Ayurveda, located in New Delhi, India. It functions as an autonomous body under the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, and is conceived as an apex institute for the discipline, comparable in role to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in modern medicine.
Key Facts
| Name | All India Institute of Ayurveda |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | AIIA |
| Type | Public, autonomous institution |
| Discipline | Ayurveda |
| Location | Sarita Vihar, New Delhi, India |
| Parent body | Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India |
| Country | India |
Overview
AIIA combines a teaching hospital, postgraduate and doctoral education, and research facilities on a single campus in southern Delhi. The institute offers postgraduate (MD/MS in Ayurveda) and PhD programmes across the classical specialities of Ayurveda, including Kayachikitsa (internal medicine), Panchakarma, Shalya Tantra (surgery), Shalakya Tantra (ENT and ophthalmology), Prasuti and Stri Roga (obstetrics and gynaecology), Kaumarbhritya (paediatrics), Dravyaguna (materia medica), Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana (pharmaceutics), Swasthavritta (preventive medicine) and Agada Tantra (toxicology), among others.
The attached hospital provides outpatient and inpatient care, with specialty clinics, Panchakarma therapy units, diagnostic services and integrative facilities. The institute also undertakes drug standardisation, clinical research and pharmacovigilance work in the Ayurveda sector.
Background and Establishment
AIIA was established to serve as a model institution for Ayurveda education, healthcare and research in India, with an emphasis on integrating classical Ayurvedic knowledge with contemporary scientific methods. The institute was formally inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India on Dhanteras, observed as Ayurveda Day, in October 2017. The choice of date marked the first national observance of Ayurveda Day in India.
Campus and Facilities
The main campus is situated at Sarita Vihar, near the Mathura Road corridor in south-east Delhi. Facilities on the campus include:
- A multi-specialty Ayurveda teaching hospital with inpatient wards.
- Specialised clinics and Panchakarma therapy blocks.
- Pharmacy and drug-standardisation laboratories.
- Research laboratories for fundamental and clinical research.
- Academic blocks, library, and student hostels.
Academics and Research
Postgraduate admissions are conducted through the All India AYUSH Post Graduate Entrance Test (AIAPGET), administered by the National Testing Agency. The institute conducts research in areas such as lifestyle disorders, oncology support, neurological and musculoskeletal diseases, women's and child health, and traditional pharmacology. AIIA collaborates with national bodies such as the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine and various universities and research institutes in India and abroad.
Significance
AIIA is positioned as the apex Ayurveda institute under the Ministry of AYUSH, intended to set benchmarks for clinical practice, postgraduate education and evidence-based research in Indian systems of medicine. It also plays a role in policy advice, training of faculty for other Ayurveda colleges, and in international cooperation programmes promoting Ayurveda abroad.