Indias Ayush AI innovations recognised in WHO brief on traditional medicine

new delhi: in a global acknowledgment of india's leadership in merging traditional medicine with modern technology, the world health organization (who) has released a technical brief highlighting india's pioneering efforts in applying artificial intelligence (ai) to ayush systems.the document, titled “mapping the application of artificial intelligence in traditional medicine”, stems from india's proposal and marks who's first roadmap on this subject. it lauds india for launching the world's first traditional knowledge digital library (tkdl) and leading the $43.4 billion ayush sector.union minister of state for ayush, shri prataprao jadhav, said india's ai-led initiatives—including platforms like sahi, namaste, and ayush research portals—underscore prime minister narendra modi's vision of leveraging emerging technologies for global relevance and inclusive healthcare.the brief showcases india's ai-powered innovations such as predictive diagnostics using prakriti-based machine learning, ayurgenomics (merging genomics with ayurvedic principles), and semantic analysis of classical texts. ai applications now aid in pulse diagnosis, tongue examination, and prakriti assessments using neural networks.ayush secretary vaidya rajesh kotecha highlighted the ayush grid—launched in 2018—as the backbone for india's digital transformation in traditional healthcare. it supports citizen-centric services and promotes evidence-based integration with global health systems.the who document also acknowledges india's use of ai in drug action mapping, chemical sensing of traditional properties like rasa and guna, and comparative studies across traditional systems such as ayurveda and tcm.india's approach, who noted, offers a global model for safeguarding, validating, and advancing traditional medicine through responsible ai innovation.