KISHTWAR: Department of AYUSH in collaboration with the District Administration Kishtwar and JK State Medicinal Plants Board successfully organized a District Level Seminar today. The event was held under the directions of the Director AYUSH, J&K Dr. Nuzhat Bashir and in close Supervision of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kishtwar Rajesh Kumar Shavan.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, Pawan Kotwal graced the event as the Chief Guest. The event was organised to promote conservation, cultivation of medicinal plants and developing entrepreneurship in the Medicinal Plants Sector. The seminar featured key resource persons from AYUSH Department including Dr. Shabir and Dr. Muzaffar Mintoo, who provided detailed information on the cultivation and marketing of medicinal plants such as Ashwagandha, Kutki, Kuth, Pooshkarmool and others, emphasizing their potential as alternative sources of income for farmers.
Dr. Opender Surmal, Lecturer in Ethnobotany at Government Degree College Kishtwar, also shared valuable insights into the medicinal plants found in the region and their uses in traditional medicine. In addition, progressive farmers like Dr. Shahnawaz Ahmed and Jabbar Singh, who have successfully ventured into the cultivation and marketing of medicinal plants, shared their success stories and experiences in setting up businesses in the sector.
The seminar aimed at increasing awareness about the significance of conserving and cultivating medicinal plants, which play a crucial role in both traditional healthcare systems and the modern pharmaceutical industry. The event also highlighted the immense potential for entrepreneurship in the medicinal plant sector and discussed the growing opportunities within the industry.
The seminar was attended by Senior Officers including DIO Kishtwar Dr Kuldeep Kumar, DFO Marwah Vishal Choudhary, CMO Kishtwar Dr. Rajinder Kumar, CAO Kishtwar Amjad Hussain Malik, CHO Kishtwar Sajid Mustafa, Chief Scientist of KVK Narinder Pal, staff of AYUSH and other concerned departments.
