CCRAS Concludes AI-in-AYUSH Internship to Boost Tech-Driven Research

The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), under the Ministry of Ayush, successfully concluded its Internship Programme on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in AYUSH on 30 January, marking a significant step toward integrating advanced digital technologies into traditional medicine research.

Conducted from 15 December, the programme aimed to strengthen the application of information technology, artificial intelligence and data-driven approaches in AYUSH research. Out of 180 applications, 33 students were selected through a structured screening process, with most interns drawn from leading engineering institutions in and around New Delhi.

Applying AI to Traditional Knowledge

The internship provided hands-on exposure to the use of AI across a wide range of AYUSH-relevant domains. Interns worked on innovative, AI-enabled projects including:

• Medicinal plant research and classification

• Bioinformatics applications

• Prakriti (constitutional type) assessment

• Medical imaging and posture detection

• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) of classical AYUSH manuscripts

These projects align with CCRAS's broader mandate of digital documentation, evidence generation and technology-enabled validation of traditional knowledge systems.

Bridging AYUSH and Advanced Technology

Designed as an interdisciplinary learning platform, the programme enabled participants to combine classical AYUSH concepts with modern computational tools. Mentorship from domain experts fostered innovation, critical thinking and practical problem-solving, while encouraging interns to explore scalable, real-world applications.

The initiative reflects CCRAS's ongoing commitment to capacity building and institutional strengthening by engaging young talent and promoting emerging technologies in AYUSH research and development. It is expected to contribute to the creation of a robust, future-ready research ecosystem and support the long-term goal of mainstreaming AYUSH through evidence-based, technology-driven approaches.

Leadership and Future Direction

The programme was coordinated by Dr. Rakesh Narayan V., Officer-in-Charge (IT), along with members of the IT Cell at CCRAS Headquarters.

Addressing the valedictory session, Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS, emphasized the strategic importance of artificial intelligence in advancing the AYUSH sector. He highlighted ongoing CCRAS initiatives in AI and stressed that applications developed during the internship should be validated and scaled up through structured, project-mode implementation.

Senior CCRAS officials, including Dr. N. Srikanth, Deputy Director General, commended the interns for their contributions and underscored the growing relevance of emerging technologies in strengthening evidence-based research across AYUSH systems.