India, Dec. 19 -- Ayurveda occupies an unusual place in India's health system. It is deeply familiar yet institutionally peripheral, widely used yet unevenly evaluated. Around half of Indians report using an AYUSH system, with Ayurveda the most common choice for everyday wellness and, at times, curative care. But can a medical tradition built around individualised treatment meaningfully serve population health, which depends on scale, standardisation, and predictability?

Ayurveda has strengths in prevention, lifestyle, and long-term wellbeing. In an era dominated by chronic disease, stress-related illness, and over-medicalisation, Ayurveda's emphasis on diet, daily routine, and balance resonates with concerns Western medicine has only re...