New Delhi, May 13 -- The Union government has officially designated September 23 as Ayurveda Day.
The change, notified through a Gazette Notification dated March 23, 2025, marks a significant shift from the earlier practice of observing Ayurveda Day on Dhanteras, which follows a variable lunar calendar.
Ayurveda Day has been commemorated annually to promote ayurveda as a "scientific, evidence-based, and holistic system of medicine" that plays a pivotal role in preventive healthcare and wellness, an Ayush ministry statement said.
Until now, Ayurveda Day coincided with Dhanteras, a festival observed in the Hindu month of Kartik (usually October or November), rendering it without a fixed annual date, the statement said.
The ministry also noted that in the coming decade, the date of Dhanteras will continue to vary between October 15 and November 12, posing logistical challenges for national and international observance, it said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.