The Rs 1-crore Arth, a five-year-old Ayurveda research centre and day care medical facility, has invested Rs 5 crore to set up a full-fledged ayurveda hospital, college, herbal farm and a resort in Dodaballapur, which is 35 km away from Bangalore.

The new Arth campus on a 10-acre land will have its Ayurveda College which is expected to commence classes from the academic year 2005-'06. The college is currently awaiting its final clearance from Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM), under the Department of AYUSH.

To begin with, the college will offer bachelor degree courses and later include post-graduate and doctoral programmes, informed Rajat Gupta - CEO, Arth.

The 200-bedded charitable hospital coming up in the same campus will be ready in September this year. The hospital will provide ayurvedic treatments to the unaffordable section of people.

At the herbal farm, the products will be utilised not only for internal use but will be offered to the international market. The current global herbal market is valued at $20 billion and Arth is keen to offer a selected variety of herbs, stated Dr Prashant S Acharya, founder & medical director, Arth. Also at the same location, plans are underway to set up a modern resort to provide ayurveda treatment.

Arth, which is presently, a full-fledged outpatient medical centre located in Bangalore at Indiranagar, has invested an addition of Rs 3 crore to set up a 30-bedded facility to offer in patient service at the same location.

The research centre has done considerable work in treatment of backache and related problems. There are drugs being developed for diabetes, hypertension, hair care, skin care, neurological disorders, respiratory disorder, stress related disorders occupational health hazards and other health problems. The research wing has developed a combination of drugs which is manufactured under contract. It will be setting up a dedicated formulations unit in Dodaballapur in 2006.