India will be embarking on a collaborative project with the American National Institute of Health for research on diseases like diabetes, AIDS etc and their cure through traditional Indian Systems of Medicine, especially Ayurveda. The American National Institute will be funding nearly 15 such projects to be undertaken by 15 Indian practitioners of Ayurveda and 15 American doctors.

This was announced on the final day of the 6-day Global Holistic Health Summit by Malathi Sinha, secretary, Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy.

Another notable announcement that came through on the concluding day of the event is the setting up of the International Institute of Holistic Healing at a cost of Rs. 8 crore in Bangalore. The project has received a funding to the tune of $50,000 at the just concluded 6-day Global Holistic Health Summit where a unanimous decision was taken by representatives of 45 countries to establish a Institute of Holistic Healing here in the city.

The institute will offer research and education at the post PG-level and interlink world institutions in holistic systems of medicine and collaborate with international universities, informed Dr. Issac Mathai, organising secretary, International Holistic Health Association and medical director, International Holistic Health Centre at Whitefield in the outskirts of Bangalore.

Sinha stressed that traditional medicine systems needed integration at three levels- education, practice and research. Though there was a growing recognition in developed countries for Indian medicinal systems, it is still criticised as unscientific and data is demanded as proof, forcing India to 'reinvent the wheel'.

Karnataka's governor T N Chaturvedi who delivered the valedictory address said that a selective integration of various systems of medicine would cater to the varied aspects of human health. He lamented that India's traditional knowledge has not become common knowledge.