Alleging that there is no strong group or organisation either in Tamil Nadu or away from the state to work for the development of the traditional Siddha treatment system, a set of researchers and practitioners working in the nearby Karnataka state is joining together to form a separate association aiming to suggest the Union Ayush ministry with proposals for promotional programmes for Siddha, the country’s foremost traditional healing method.

It is understood that their ultimate aim is to form an Association of Siddha Practitioners working outside Tamil Nadu as the association working in the state is only for namesake and not involved in active work or undertaking any project for the promotion of this traditional system, according to practitioners out of Tamil Nadu. The Siddha graduates coming out of Santhigiri Siddha Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram will also become part of the organisation, it is learnt.

If a second association is formed by the Siddha graduates, it will cause for the split of ISMGA (Indian Siddha Medical Graduates Association) centred in Kanyakumari district. It does not have a presence in the state capital. However, the new association will not involve ISMGA or cooperate with it in any project or activity, sources informed.

When contacted some of the practitioners from states out of Tamil Nadu, they said lack of an organised group of qualified and registered practitioners based in Chennai is the root cause of the decline of this traditional medical treatment. The major decay occurring in the field is with regard to researches and development under the state government. Activities on promotional work, especially in propagating Siddha to other states, either under government initiative or with the support of associations or private agencies, are zero. So, they have decided to form separate organisation and to urge the Union Ayush ministry to give more attention to Siddha rather than going after other systems in the name of traditional medicines.

“Now a separate ministry has formed and sufficient funds are allotted. This facility should be utilised for the development of the major traditional system like Siddha which has been followed by thousands of people for centuries in a big state like Tamil Nadu. But no strong demand is made before the government or initiates any programme involving the stakeholders of the system so as to invite the attention of the government. Whereas, associations representing other systems from neighboring states are holding several programmes, implementing projects, conducting workshops, engaging in researches, manufacturing and urging the government to introduce various plans and grant funds. The associations of Siddha physicians representing those from private sector and government sector in Tamil Nadu are not undertaking any work for promotional activity or submit any project before the governments for the sake of the system or for the welfare of the graduates in the system. They merely highlight the names of their office-bearers to be invited into some committees. Our organisation will work for developing the system, first we will force the Ayush ministry to start educational institutions in Siddha in the central, north and north-eastern parts of the country,” said a Siddha practitioner working in Karnataka, who studied the system away from Tamil Nadu.

They said they are preparing a project to be submitted before the government. It includes translation of Siddha literature into other Indian languages and English, encouraging other state governments to accept Siddha system and start Siddha hospitals along with Ayurveda or their native traditional systems. Educational institutions for Siddha teaching should also be established. The Union government through Ayush ministry should undertake several projects for the promotion of the system, mainly starting Siddha medical colleges in other parts of the country.

According to them, in the present set-up, no organisation from Tamil Nadu can undertake any influential projects, that is why, an out of Tamil Nadu association is formed. The association of government physicians in Siddha in Tamil Nadu is also not introducing any programme for promoting the system, hence there is no unity among the practitioners. The new organisation will fill this gap, the practitioners out of Tamil Nadu said.

Previously there was one Centre for Traditional Medicines and Research (CTMR) in Chennai, which was undertaking some projects for the welfare of the medicinal plant cultivators and farmers of herbs with the support of central aid. Now, since the Ayush ministry has stopped funding to the Centre, it has stopped all its activities undertaken as part of development of traditional medicines.