The 3rd International Ayurveda Conference, jointly organised by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) and Conayur, concluded in São Paulo, Brazil, on November 15, 2025. Held under the aegis of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the two-day event commemorated 40 years of Ayurveda in Brazil and convened experts, practitioners, scholars, and students from across Latin America and India. This year’s theme focused on “Diversity and Inclusion in Ayurveda: Caring for Everybody and Every Being.”
Inaugurating the conference, Ambassador of India to Brazil, H.E. Shri Dinesh Bhatia, underscored the strengthening partnership between India and Brazil in traditional healthcare systems. He noted, “Ayurveda’s global relevance is being reinforced through advancing scientific research and international collaboration,” adding that these efforts would be further reflected at the upcoming WHO–Ministry of Ayush Global Summit on Traditional Medicine scheduled in New Delhi from December 17–19, 2025.
Highlighting Brazil’s leadership in the region, the Ambassador said, “Brazil was the first South American country to officially recognize Ayurveda,” and described Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin’s recent visit to the All India Institute of Ayurveda in New Delhi as a “landmark” in advancing bilateral cooperation. He also commended SVCC for its sustained efforts in promoting Indian culture and Ayurveda, and thanked the Ministry of Ayush for its continued support.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. (Vaidya) Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, said Ayurveda is rooted in “inclusivity, compassion, and the holistic equilibrium of body, mind, and environment.” He emphasized the strong India–Brazil cooperation in traditional medicine, supported through a formal Memorandum of Understanding and collaborations between the National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur, and leading Brazilian universities.
Dr. Kotecha praised the community of teachers, researchers, and practitioners who have nurtured Ayurveda in Brazil for four decades. Conveying the message of Union Minister of Ayush Shri Prataprao Jadhav, he reiterated India’s dedication, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to expanding evidence-based traditional medicine globally.
In her address, Dr. Jyoti Kiran Shukla, Director, SVCC, highlighted the shared legacy of wellness traditions between the two nations and the role of SVCC and ICCR in deepening cultural and academic partnerships in Ayurveda.
The conference hosted thematic lectures, plenary sessions, and a general assembly focusing on ancestral knowledge, inclusion in Ayurveda, and the regulation of the Ayurveda profession in Brazil. A major announcement was made acknowledging that Ayurveda has been officially included in the Brazilian Classification of Occupations, marking a “historic recognition” for the discipline.
Shri Hansraj Singh Verma, Consul General of India in São Paulo, stressed the significance of India–Brazil cooperation in natural and preventive healthcare, reaffirming the growing relevance of traditional systems in public health.
Key sessions included “Daivavyapashraya: The Healing of the Soul – A Bridge between the Ganges and the West” by Paulo Bastos Gonçalves, “From Prithvi to Ākāśa: The Journey of Subtle Transformation” by Vanessa Santetti, and “Ayurveda as a Path of Healing” by Dr. Rita Beatriz Tocantins, among others. The event concluded with a roundtable on “The Future of Ayurveda in Brazil: Building the Next 40 Years.”
The discussions reaffirmed Ayurveda’s expanding global footprint and laid the groundwork for the forthcoming WHO–Ministry of Ayush Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, which aims to strengthen international cooperation in holistic health and sustainable wellness.
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