Although Ayurvedic medicine has been practised in India for thousands of years, it is only in the last couple of hundred years or so that it has entered Western consciousness as being a serious alternative medicine treatment that can prove to be very effective in the maintenance of good health and well-being. This rise in popularity has also seen an increase in the number of societies, councils, associations, and influencers that have been created to promote, support, and enhance the professional standards of the discipline. In the following article, we will consider some of the most prominent and influential of them.

1. The National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA)

Following a series of monthly meetings in 1998 by four like-minded individuals with a strong desire to see the expansion of Ayurvedic medicine in the United States, along with the ambition of formulating a structure to support the profession’s practitioners and promote classical Ayurvedic education and practice, the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) was finally incorporated in 2000. The NAMA has since grown to contain more than 1000 members that are controlled by a twelve-member elected board and comprises various committees that support the principal work directives of the association which include ethics, membership standards, communications, and conference planning. One of its primary objectives is to support Ayurvedic education and to elevate professional practice standards. To this end, its select committee has been particularly active and influential in setting the standards for practitioners within the industry.

The association’s other key goals are:

• To act as an official representative for the Ayurvedic profession
• To establish and maintain standards of education, professional competency, ethics, and licensing
• To develop and foster relationships with other Ayurvedic organisations, governmental agencies, and related bodies
• To serve as a representative membership organisation of the Ayurvedic profession
• To influence public policy and all regulation pertaining to Ayurveda
• To promote the science of Ayurveda as separate and distinct healing arts profession
• To encourage the advancement of knowledge of Ayurveda by developing and conducting research programmes
• To develop a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism

2. The British Association of Accredited Ayurvedic Practitioners (BAAAP)

Established in 1999 as the professional affiliate of the British Ayurvedic Medical Council (BAMC) to promote Ayurveda in the West and to overcome the regulatory restrictions and cultural prejudices that have impeded its integration within mainstream healthcare provision in the U.K and throughout Europe, the British Association of Accredited Ayurvedic Practitioners (BAAAP) is a voluntary professional Ayurvedic association that seeks to raise awareness of Ayurvedic medicine as being an authentic, safe and effective means of maintaining good health and well-being.

Their principal objectives include:

• To represent its members and to encourage the professional development of Ayurvedic practitioners
• To ensure that Ayurvedic medicine is only practiced by competent and qualified professionals, thereby protecting the safety of patients and members of the public
• To stimulate and support research programmes that will expand the knowledge base of Ayurvedic medicine and other related treatment modalities
• To ensure that safe, high quality Ayurvedic medical products are available to patients and practitioners alike

3. The British Ayurvedic Medical Council (BAMC)

The British Ayurvedic Medical Council (BAMC) is a self-regulating organisation (led by members and overseen by an elected Governing Executive Committee Board) and is regarded as one of the U. K’s lead registers for Ayurvedic professionals. It is run by a passionate group of people who possess a diverse range of individual skills and expertise, many of whom are also Ayurvedic doctors, practitioners, and therapists from related healthcare industries. Their high standards and codes of professional behaviour also ensure safe and effective practice.

The BAMC’s main aims are:

• To act as a voice for Ayurveda in the U.K by initiating campaigns and publicizing research
• To promote their members professional development with CPD programmes and through the hosting of events that might provide opportunities for funding research
• To foster relationships with other Ayurvedic organisations and Governmental bodies to champion the furtherment of the profession
• To act as a leading source of information for the public about Ayurveda through its informative and accurately represented website

4. The European Ayurveda Association (EAA)

Formed in 2006, the European Ayurveda Association (EAA) is a federation of Ayurvedic organisations, therapists, educational institutions, hospitals, manufacturers, and suppliers of Ayurvedic products that now represents numerous such entities from 16 countries in the European Economic Area (EEA). They believe that the ancient holistic system of healing, health promotion and maintenance of well-being that Ayurvedic medicine represents should be made freely available to everyone. To achieve that end, they work closely with European Governments to promote Ayurveda as a legitimate medical system, whilst offering training guidelines for Ayurveda healthcare professionals that ensures high-quality training and vocational qualifications. They also promote the recognition of quality standards for Ayurvedic products to protect patients and therapists, as well as the furthering of scientific research to improve our knowledge of Ayurveda and to assist in the development of more efficacious treatments.

5. Vasant Lad

Possibly the most renowned Ayurvedic author in both the East and West, Vasant Lad has been a professor of Ayurvedic medicine for more than 15 years and his book “Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing” has been one of the most popular and influential within the field. It contains lots of practical, easy-to-understand advice for bringing yourself into balance, as well as a detailed chart that can be helpful in identifying which foods or spices might be beneficial for your personal dosha. His meticulous research and the accessibility of his books make it likely that Vasant Lad will continue to remain at the forefront of Ayurvedic medicine for many years to come.

If you would like to learn more, then read our article What Is Ayurvedic Medicine?