Studentship Program

The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), has taken a unique initiative to support the research efforts of bright young minds of the Country by developing the Studentship Program for Ayurveda Research Ken (SPARK) for Ayurveda (BAMS) students studying in recognised Ayurveda colleges. Sh. Pramod Kumar Pathak, Special Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India and Vaidya Jayant Yeshwant Deopujari, Chairman, National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) launched the fellowship scheme and the application portal in the presence of Prof. Sanjeev Sharma, Director-cum-Vice Chancellor In-Charge, National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur and Prof. R.N. Acharya, Director General, CCRAS, Dr. Sulochana Bhatt, Director, CARI, Bengaluru, Dr. M.M.Rao, Director, CARI, Bhubaneswar and and Research Officers of the Instituteat Central Ayurveda Research Institute, Bhubaneswar on 2nd September 2022 in an event organized to mark the occasion. While lauding the efforts of CCRAS, the Special Secretary said, “CCRAS has taken many commendable initiatives in recent times, especially during the COVID-pandemic. The Council has not only developed popular formulations such as Ayush-64, it has as many as 18 formulations and technologies to its credit also.” He further added, “I am confident that the SPARK Program developed by the Council will support the innovative ideas of young students and promote the culture of evidence based scientific research in the field of Traditional Medicine.” Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS informed, “with guidance and support from the Ministry of Ayush, CCRAS has developed and implemented a wide range of schemes and programs to serve the citizens.” While elaborating upon the recent initiatives of CCRAS including SPARK, the Director General also mentioned, “by developing meaningful collaborations with premiere academic research institutions within and outside of the country such as IIT, ICMR, ICAR, JNU, BHU, AIIMS, University of  and others, the Council has accelerated quality research activity in the domains of Ayurveda and allied sciences.” Prof. Acharya further added, “SPARK program is primarily developed to help students develop an acumen for research and to further support and incentivise their research ideas.” While speaking about international collaborations, the Director General informed that the Council is currently working on research and development projects in collaboration with leading research institutions at Romania, Germany, Israel, USA, Canada and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Prof. Acharya also informed, “with an objective to complement the efforts of the Ministry of Ayush for promotion and propagation of Ayurveda education across the world, the Council has collaborated with premier educational institutions across the world and has set up Ayurveda Chair in 11 countries. While sharing more details about the SPARK program Dr. Adarsh Kumar, Assistant Director (Ayurveda), CCRAS informed that ‘SPARK’aims to support the research ideas of young undergraduate students enrolled in Ayurveda Colleges across India. The application process for SPARK will be completely online through the portal www.spark.ccras.nic.in.” Further, Dr. Adarsh added, “Interested candidates will be required to submit their research proposals through the SPARK Portal. The proposals will be evaluated by eminent experts and reviewers. The selected fellows will be offered a financial support of Rs.50,000 under the fellowship. Initially there will be total 100 seats per session and further details may be accessed at the program portal. Also, Read in Hindi► आयुर्वेद के छात्रों के लिए स्टूडेंटशिप प्रोग्राम फॉर आयुर्वेद रिसर्च केन

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to start a fitness programme. When you transition from couches to crunches, you feel revitalised and exhilarated. Physical activity improves brain health and lowers the risk of chronic diseases; it improves balance and coordination, strengthens bones and muscles, helps with weight management, and improves sleep quality and the ability to perform daily tasks. Going straight for the bench press on day one will be contrary to your expectation of instant six-pack abs and may lead to an injury. If you are considering starting exercising but, don't know where to begin, identify your level of fitness to know where to start and what to do at first. Here's a guide to help you start a routine and stick to it for the best results without straining yourself: Identify Your Fitness Level First, determine your level of fitness. You should have a firm grasp on how to fit yourself. To track your progress, you must first assess and record your baseline fitness score to establish a baseline for yourself. Record your pulse rate before and after walking one mile determine how long it takes you to walk or run a mile know how many push-ups you can do and measure your waist circumference and BMI. Before beginning an exercise routine, you should consult a fitness expert and have a physical medical examination. Identifying your fitness level is especially important for beginners who are new to strenuous physical activities because it can detect any health issues or conditions that may put you at risk. Design Your Fitness Program Exercising every day needs a plan that includes attainable steps and goals. Create a balanced routine and start with easy steps to follow, and then you can continue to raise the bar as your fitness levels improve. For instance, if your goal is to do a 5-kilometre run, start by building a plan that includes shorter runs. Slowly as you will climb up the ladders, build activities into your daily routine, try high-interval intensity training and allow time for recovery. Stick To It Replacing unhealthy behaviour with new healthier habits is an excellent approach to achieving your fitness goals. Therefore, stick to your exercise routine. Develop a habit and do it regularly. Make a schedule and exercise at the same time every day. As per the experts, one should exercise at least 150 minutes per week. Start slowly and let your body rest from time to time and choose a time that works best for you. Eat Healthily And Stay Hydrated Eat a healthy and balanced diet to boost your fitness programme. While carbs can fuel your muscles, replenish glycogen stores after exercise and assist with the absorption of amino acids into your muscles during recovery, proteins help improve muscle recovery, repair tissue damage and build muscle mass. In addition to this, consuming healthy fats help burn body fat and preserve muscle fuel during workouts, making your energy last longer. It is equally important to stay hydrated throughout the day for optimal performance. It also helps you recover and gets you ready for your next training session. Monitor Your Progress Conduct a personal fitness assessment every two months. You will come to know about a lot of things such as the need to increase exercise time to continue improving, or maybe you will find that you're exercising enough to meet your fitness goals. Remember that starting an exercise is an important decision. It can change your life and provide you with a sense of fulfilment. By planning it carefully and slowly achieving all your fitness goals you can establish a healthy habit that will lead to a healthy body and mind. (Dr. Siddhant Bhargava, Fitness and Nutritional Scientist and Co-Founder of Food Darzee) Read More► 7 Indoor Exercises to Keep You Fit During Monsoon