The founder's day celebrations of Kerala Ayurveda Pharmacy Ltd (KAPL) will be inaugurated by Health Minister P Sankaran at Thottakkattukara Priyadarsini Town Hall here on February 16.

He will also present the Vaidyan K G K Panicker Memorial Award to the best outgoing graduate student in Ayurveda from the universities in Kerala during the year 2002.

The award consists of a citation and a cash prize of Rs 25,000, said KAPL Managing Director Dr K Anil Kumar. Five students who scored the highest marks in the degree examination will be selected from each of the five Ayurveda Medical Colleges in Kerala. The award committee will screen the selected students and conduct interviews and tests to pick the best student from them.

Pamela Anna Mathew, chairperson, CII, Kerala Circle, will launch an online awareness programme 'Philosophy and practices of Ayurveda'.

The online programme will have 64 lessons on the history, philosophy and treatment systems of Ayurveda. It will also have a question-answer session. Tests will be conducted on each lesson. Awareness certificate will be issued to successful candidates.

A scientific seminar on 'Rheumatological Association in diabetes melitus', the highlight of the founder's day celebrations, will begin at 11.00 a.m. Dr K Rajagopal will be the moderator.

Dr R V Jayakumar, Dr N V Sreevaths and Prof Dr K S Kumari will present papers, said PRO Sasikumar.

Chennai Sarala Neurology Hospital and Research Centre chief consultant Dr K Gireesh will deliver the Vaidyan K G K Panicker Memorial Oration, said KAPL chairman Padmasree S V S Raghavan.