With a view to promote and co-ordinate various activities and arms of medicinal plant cultivation, exports and drug research, a new agency has come into existence in the form of the Federation of Indian Herbal Industry (FIHI).

Initiated by Voluntary Health Education and Rural Development Society (VHERDS), the Chennai based NGO arm of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peeth, FIHI is envisaged to unite and protect the interests of herbal growers, industry, research bodies, consumers, exporters, drug makers and other associated stake holders.

According to T P Radhakrishnan, General Secretary of VHERDS, FIHI will venture to establish a dedicated data bank for various arms of the industry, besides taking up medicinal plant cultivation and promotion of drug research and development. In order to help the industry face the challenges of future and to boost exports, FIHI will take up efforts to bring in quality control, scientific validation and standardization of herbal products. FIHI will try to rope in all related associations, companies, institutions, growers, research agencies, exporters etc. under its banner, and will try to promote all Indian Systems of Medicine.

The Kanchi Acharya Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal inaugurated the Federation recently, and a high-level committee was formed to frame rules and regulations of FIHI. Narendra Bhatt of the Zandu group has been chosen as the President of the adhoc committee of FIHI. Vice President is K Bhanu, Director of VHERDS and P S Gopalakrishnan is the Honorary Secretary General.