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The Ministry of Ayush reports that Dr Padma Gurmet, director of the National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa, Leh, received the Wellness Visionary Award at the third International Wellness Conference held at Kanpur from 30 October to 1 November 2026.
Why in news
- The Press Information Bureau release of 3 November 2026 says the award was presented at Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
- The three-day conference ran from 30 October to 1 November 2026 and was inaugurated by the Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Satish Mahana.
- Dr Gurmet gave a technical lecture on the importance of Sowa-Rigpa for health and wellness in Himalayan regions.
Fact table
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Event | Third International Wellness Conference |
| Dates | 30 October to 1 November 2026 |
| Place | Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj Univ., Kanpur, UP |
| Award | Wellness Visionary Award |
| Awardee | Dr Padma Gurmet, director, NISR Leh |
| Experts honoured | 42 health experts from across the country |
| Ministry | Ayush |
Static link-back
- Sowa-Rigpa is described in the release as an ancient Himalayan system of medicine, relevant to holistic health in Himalayan regions.
- Traditional systems fall under the Ministry of Ayush; this links to the GS-I theme of cultural heritage and the GS-II theme of health policy.
- Leh, where NISR is based, is in Ladakh, which links the item to Himalayan geography.
Uttar Pradesh angle
The conference and award took place in Kanpur, a district of Uttar Pradesh, and was inaugurated by the Speaker of the state Legislative Assembly. This gives a GS-V link through the state's role as host of national health and wellness events. Hosting such events matters for the state because it brings health experts, academics and traditional-medicine practitioners together in a university setting, and it supports the GS-V theme of social sector and education institutions. Sowa-Rigpa itself belongs to the Himalayan belt, so the Kanpur event shows how knowledge from Ladakh reaches the Gangetic plain. The official text carries no state scheme figures, so none are added here.
Likely confusions
- Sowa-Rigpa is not Ayurveda: the release calls it a Himalayan system of medicine, while Ayurveda has its own Ayush department.
- NISR is in Leh, not in Kanpur; Kanpur only hosted the conference.
- The award was given by the university, not by the Government of India.
Key Terms
- Sowa-Rigpa
- An ancient Himalayan system of traditional medicine.
- NISR
- National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa, Leh.
- Ministry of Ayush
- The central ministry for traditional medicine systems.
- Wellness Visionary Award
- Award presented at the conference in Kanpur.
UPPSC syllabus: GS-I, GS-V
FAQs
Where was the conference held?
At Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Who received the Wellness Visionary Award?
Dr Padma Gurmet, director of the National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa, Leh.
Sources: PIB: Wellness Visionary Award for Dr Padma Gurmet, National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa
Last verified: 2026-11-04
