Eminent Scientists, AYUSH Experts and Industry Leaders Deliberate on Scientific Validation, Innovation and Global Advancement of Herbal Medicine
The Society for New Age Herbals (SNAH) successfully organised its Conclave and Awards Function 2026 on 23 October at the Centre of Excellence in Unani Medicine (Pharmacognosy & Pharmacology), Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from more than 150 delegates, including eminent scientists, academicians, AYUSH experts, policymakers, industry representatives and young researchers from across the country.
The conclave was organised under the leadership of Prof. (Dr.) Sayeed Ahmad, President, Society for New Age Herbals; Director, Centre of Excellence in Unani Medicine (CoEUM), Jamia Hamdard; and Organising Chairman. The programme aimed to strengthen the integration of traditional medicinal knowledge with modern scientific approaches, promoting evidence-based research, quality standardisation, innovation and global acceptance of herbal and AYUSH medicines.
Founded by the renowned herbal scholar Shri C. P. Khare, the Society for New Age Herbals has been working to bridge traditional wisdom with contemporary science, bringing together academia, research institutions, industry and regulatory organisations to advance herbal medicine.
The inaugural function was graced by Dr Kousthubha Upadhyaya, Advisor (Ayurveda), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, as Chief Guest; Dr Mohd Aslam, former Advisor, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, as Guest of Honour; and Prof. (Dr.) M. Z. Abdin, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Hamdard.
Other distinguished dignitaries included Dr Neeraj Tandon, Chairperson, Governing Body, SNAH and former Head, Medicinal Plant Unit, ICMR; Dr C. K. Katiyar, former President, SNAH and Advisor, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, and NIPER Guwahati; Dr Deepika Gunawant, Vice-President, SNAH; and Mr Mohandas S. Menon, Secretary of the Society.
The programme was also attended by several distinguished scientists, industry representatives and senior academicians, including Dr Gian Singh, former Editor, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Abstracts (MAPA); Dr Sanjay Sharma, Past President, SNAH; Dr Ruchi Srivastava, Treasurer, SNAH, and Multani Herbals; Dr Gaurav Sharma, Reckitt Benckiser; Mr Amit Varma (AyurFresh Green LLP), Mr Syed Muneer Azmat, Managing Director, New Royal Products, representing the Unani Drugs Manufacturers Association (UDMA); and Dr Uzma Bano, Dr Rabea Parveen, Dr Bushra Parveen, Prof. S. R. Mir and Prof. M. Mujeeb, senior faculty members of Jamia Hamdard. Their participation further strengthened interactions among academia, industry and professional organisations working towards the advancement of herbal and traditional medicine.
Prestigious Society for New Age Herbals Awards 2026 Conferred
A major highlight of the conclave was the institution of the Society for New Age Herbals Awards 2026, introduced for the first time to recognise outstanding contributions to herbal sciences, AYUSH, scientific validation, translational research and emerging scientific leadership.
The distinguished awardees were:
- Distinguished Contribution Award in Herbal & AYUSH Sciences: Mr Anil Jauhri, Former CEO, National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), Quality Council of India, recognised for his contributions to quality assurance, accreditation and regulatory systems.
- Excellence in Wisdom-to-Evidence Award: Prof. Pradeep K. Prajapati, former Director, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, recognised for his contributions to the scientific validation, research and advancement of Ayurvedic medicine.
- Excellence in Tradition-to-Translation Award: Dr Ranjit Anand Puranik, Managing Director and CEO, Shree Dhootapapeshwar Ltd., recognised for his contributions to translating traditional Ayurvedic knowledge into standardised pharmaceutical products and industrial innovation.
- Excellence in Herbal Research Award: Dr Sanjay M. Tamoli, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), TIMER, Mumbai, recognised for his contributions to herbal research, scientific innovation and the development of evidence-based herbal products.
- SNAH NextGen Herbal Research Award 2026: Dr Robin Badal, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, and Dr Vijay Kumar, Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI), Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of AYUSH, recognised for their promising research contributions and scientific potential in herbal and AYUSH sciences.
The awardees were felicitated for their contributions, while the introduction of the awards marked an important initiative of the Society to encourage scientific excellence, innovation, translational research and the next generation of researchers.
In his address, Prof. (Dr.) Sayeed Ahmad emphasised that the future of Indian traditional medicine lies in the scientific integration of classical knowledge with modern technologies, including advanced chromatography, metabolomics, phytochemical profiling, pharmacological validation and systems biology.
He highlighted the need for scientifically validated herbal medicines supported by robust quality-control systems, reproducible research, safety assessment and internationally acceptable regulatory standards.
Prof. Ahmad further emphasised the importance of strengthening collaborations among academic institutions, research organisations, herbal industries and regulatory agencies to transform traditional medicinal knowledge into innovative, affordable and globally acceptable healthcare solutions.
He also outlined his vision for strengthening the Society for New Age Herbals as a vibrant national and international platform for scientific exchange, research collaboration, professional recognition, industry engagement and mentorship of young researchers.
Centre of Excellence in Unani Medicine Showcases Research and Scientific Achievements
The conclave also highlighted the growing contributions of the Centre of Excellence in Unani Medicine (CoEUM), Jamia Hamdard, established with financial support from the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, towards the scientific validation and quality standardisation of Unani medicines.
Under the directorship of Prof. (Dr.) Sayeed Ahmad, CoEUM has been advancing interdisciplinary research in pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, metabolomics, chromatography, herbal drug quality control and experimental pharmacology. The Centre has also been promoting research training, capacity building, academic collaborations and scientific awareness in traditional medicine.
Prof. Ahmad acknowledged the visionary legacy of Late Hakim Abdul Hameed, founder of Jamia Hamdard, whose commitment to integrating traditional systems of medicine with modern education and scientific research continues to guide the institution.
An important highlight of the programme was the release of the fourth edition of the Centre’s newsletter, CoEUM Bulletin, documenting the Centre’s research accomplishments, academic initiatives, scientific activities and contributions towards the advancement of evidence-based Unani medicine.
Strengthening the Society’s Vision and Future Collaborations
The conclave reaffirmed the Society’s commitment to carrying forward the vision of its Founder President, Shri C. P. Khare, and acknowledged the longstanding encouragement and support of Shri V. C. Burman, former Chairman Emeritus, Dabur India Ltd.
Prof. Ahmad expressed his gratitude to the Society’s Governing Body, Executive Committee, senior members, mentors and distinguished awardees for their guidance and support. He emphasised the importance of developing the Society into a stronger collaborative platform connecting traditional knowledge, contemporary science, regulatory institutions and the herbal industry.
The organisers also acknowledged the generous support of Ayurfresh Greens LLP, the programme sponsor, and the contributions of all invited dignitaries, speakers, participants and organising team members.
