Last verified: April 2026
Ayurveda in India
India is home to the world's largest population of qualified Ayurvedic practitioners, the most extensive Ayurvedic manufacturing infrastructure, and the only government ministry in the world dedicated to traditional medicine systems at the national level.
India as the primary living tradition
Ayurveda is a living clinical tradition -- not a historical curiosity. India has approximately 800,000 registered Ayurvedic practitioners (BAMS and MD Ayurveda qualified), over 400 dedicated Ayurvedic teaching institutions, thousands of licensed Ayurvedic hospitals and clinics, and a manufacturing sector producing over 9,000 licensed Ayurvedic preparations. The Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) was established in 2014 as a dedicated government ministry to develop and regulate these systems.
Regional traditions
Classical Ayurveda is practiced across India, but specific regional traditions have developed distinct emphases:
Kerala: The most intact classical Panchakarma tradition. The Ashtavaidya families (eight traditional physician lineages) maintained unbroken transmission of classical Panchakarma procedures. Kerala-tradition preparations -- particularly medicated oils (Taila) and specialised Basti procedures -- are considered the gold standard for Panchakarma practice globally. Kerala Ayurveda in detail →
Rajasthan / Gujarat: Strong Rasa Shastra (mineral and metal preparations) tradition. The Rajasthani Vaidya families maintained expertise in Bhasma preparation and Rasa Shastra formulations. Jaipur and Udaipur have significant classical Rasa Shastra practitioner communities.
Varanasi / UP: The primary centre of classical Sanskrit scholarship and textual tradition. The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Faculty of Ayurveda is one of the oldest formal Ayurvedic teaching institutions. Strong Charaka Samhita scholarship tradition.
Himachal Pradesh / Uttarakhand: Primary source region for high-altitude medicinal herbs -- Kutki, Devadaru, Jatamansi, Shatavari (high-altitude varieties), and many others. The Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences and multiple Ayurvedic research centres operate in this region. Himalayan herbs in detail →