Ayush Secretary Praises Siddha Physicians for Varmam Intervention During Flight Emergency

In recognition of their professional conduct, presence of mind, and quick application of classical Siddha therapy, Secretary Kotecha met with the two doctors in New Delhi to express his personal appreciation.

Union Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha has commended two Siddha doctors for their timely, calm, and effective medical intervention aboard a recent flight — an event that demonstrated the real-world emergency potential of traditional medicine when administered by trained experts.

During the flight, a passenger suffered sudden and severe giddiness. While cabin crew offered initial first aid, the person remained unstable, prompting a call for medical help. Siddha physicians Dr. Elavarasan and Dr. Gowtham volunteered their help, quickly assessed the situation, and applied Siddha Varmam stimulation techniques — therapeutic pressure point manipulations rooted in traditional Siddha practice. Within minutes, the passenger showed significant relief, stabilizing enough to avoid escalation of the medical emergency.

In recognition of their professional conduct, presence of mind, and quick application of classical Siddha therapy, Secretary Kotecha met with the two doctors in New Delhi to express his personal appreciation. He lauded their sense of responsibility, composure under pressure, and compassion — factors he said are essential for integrating traditional medicine into broader health response mechanisms.

Secretary Kotecha emphasized that this incident validates the supportive role Siddha medicine can play in emergency and first-aid contexts, especially when administered by appropriately trained practitioners. He called for expanded public awareness and structured training programmes in Siddha Varmam therapy, so that the benefit of such traditional techniques can be safely and widely accessed, complementing modern medical systems and strengthening integrative healthcare delivery.

The Ministry of Ayush noted that the incident may encourage further measures to include traditional medicine practitioners in pre-hospital emergency response planning, and urged regulatory bodies to consider protocols for cross-system coordination during travel and public emergencies.