India plans research institute in Leh to counter China

One-upmanship

India plans to set up a new research centre in Leh for exploring the biodiversity of the Ladakh region. The institute will also scientifically study ancient Tibetan medicine, which has been officially recognised as one of the alternative systems of medicine in the country.

The Rs 25 crore laboratory along with a research farm would be a branch of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu.

“Because of its wide temperature variation, from minus 40 to 30 degrees celsius, Ladakh has an unique biodiversity. It will be explored to find out new molecules and enzymes. If we don’t do it, China will patent those molecules as biodiversity on both sides are similar,” Ram Vishwakarma, director IIIM told Deccan Herald.

Beijing, for instance, has gone ahead in claiming patent rights on a Ladakhi herb from which a popular aphrodisiac is made. Exploring medicinal properties of Sebuckthorn would be another area of research.

“We may also find out some unique microbes including extremophiles (bugs that thrive under extreme temperatures and pressure) by prospecting the sulphur springs of Ladakh,” he said.

The Central government recently brought Tibetan medicine system, Sowa-Rigpa or Amchi, within the ambit of the Indian medical system, equating it with homoeopathy, Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha, which are recognised by the government.

“Little is known about the Tibetan system as practitioners of Sowa-Rigpa are very secretive. But the Tibetan system is known to have medicines for many skin diseases that can be scientifically studied,” said Vishwakarma.

The proposed institute in Leh will require 15 acres of land and another 50 acres for research, which may be alloted by the state government and the Ladakh autonomous hill development council.

However, establishment of the institute, announced by the Union Minister for Science and Technology S Jaipal Reddy here, would take some time as a detailed project report is yet to be made on which approvals from the state and Central government are awaited.