Official Recognition for ‘Sowa-Rigpa’

‘Sowa-Rigpa’, also known as ‘Amchi’ is an ancient system of medicine. It is practised in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling (West Bengal), Lahaul and Spiti (Himachal Pradesh), and Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. On September 10, 2009, the Union Cabinet approved the Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2009 for amending the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970 to give recognition to ‘Sowa0Rigpa’. One of the oldest surviving systems of medicine in the world, popular in the Himalayan region of India, it is similar to Ayurveda and also include some principles of traditional Chinese Medicine. The fundamental text book ‘Rgyudbzi’ is believed to have been taught by the Buddha himself and is closely linked to Buddhist Philosophy.