A three day seminar and herbal expo ‘Herbal Focus 2004’ on medicinal plants and herbs will be organized at Srirangam near Trichy from 10th to 12th January, next week.

Organised by the Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College, Trichy, experts from different part of the country will present papers on various subjects and vital issues related to herbs and herbal products. According to VS Narasimhan, coordinator of the seminar and secretary of the college, while Dr Manju Sharma, secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, will deliver the keynote address, Tamil Nadu health minister Thalavai Sundaram will release a CD on rare herbs and Semmalai, the state minister for Education will inaugurate the exhibition. Dr SP Thyagarajan, vice chancellor, Madras University, Prof. K Dharmalingam, Madurai Kamaraj University, experts like Dr SS Handa and Dr GM Nair etc. are participating in the inauguration ceremony.

In the ensuing sessions, top executives from various herbal companies will elaborate on the marketing strategies, research processes, classification and certification procedures of herbs and herbal drugs. A session will detail on bank loans to farmers, subsidies and purchase of equipments. The Trichy district collector, Bharathidasan University’s former vice chancellor Dr Muthaiah Karuppan, Herbal Focus 2004 advisor Dr Devaraj etc. will attend the valedictory function.

The sources said Srimad Andavan Swamigal, an expert on ayurveda and siddha, founded the Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College. The college has a collaborative venture on herbal research with the Clemson University of USA to research the side effects of cardiac surgery and fractures. The college, which has a herbal garden with over 100 species of rare herbs, plans to develop the centre as an integrated ‘Herbal Hub’ with the help of self help groups, agriculturalists and farmers. The Herbal Hub would train them on extraction of herbal medicine and marketing, besides guidance and assistance for herbal cultivation, said sources.