State Projects
Sports Ayurveda
The department of Indian Systems of Medicine established Sports Ayurveda Research Cells (SARC) in 2009 to extend the benevolence of Sports Ayurveda to various sports personnel. SARC units are functioning along with Sports Authority of India (SAI), State Sports Council, District Sports Councils and sports schools. There are 24 SARC units throughout the length and breadth of the State.
Introduction
Development and expansion of sports field were accompanied by inevitable health-related issues. Sports nutrition, management of injuries, selection and conditioning of sports talents, physical and mental well-being of sports persons throughout the pre-event, event periods and post event support are some of the areas identified as important.
From selection of sports talents and pursue them thoroughly helping throughout the career, eight speciality branches of Ayurveda can extend valuable support. Encouraging results of Ayurvedic management for the conditioning of sports persons and managing sports related injuries turned the attention of sports talents to Ayurveda.

Olympians, National and International Sports personnel treated in SARC units
Many national and international sports personals such as Olympian M R Poovamma (Arjuna award winner), Muhammad Anas, Vismaya, Himadas, Alex Antony, Preeja Sreedhar, Renjith Maheswari, Olympian Sajan Prakash (Tokyo Olympics), C V Pappachan (Former Indian football team captain), Arvind Mani (International swimmer), V K Vismaya (Athletics, Asian games gold medallist), Abigail (Hurdles, Asian championship silver medallist), Amruta K Jayan (Weight lifting, National gold medallist), Kannan C (400 m, National gold medallist), Sufna Jasmin (Weight lifting, National gold medallist), Muhammed Asif (Netball, National gold medallist), Sandhya K J (Walking, National gold medallist and 2010 Commonwealth games participation), K H Jojo Meiti (Weight lifting gold medallist, Asian championship 2018 6th position), Amal K B (Swimming and water ball, National gold medallist), Vishal Devmith (Athletics, CBSE National gold medallist), Sufaid T K (100 m, National silver medallist), Sherin P K (800 m, National silver medallist), Ambala Komala Karthik (Weight lifting, Khelo India silver medallist), Bisna Varghese (Weight lifting, Khelo India 4th position), Gyanish Krishna (Kho-kho, CBSE National 2nd position), Ancy (Ball badminton, National bronze medallist), Merugu Venkat (2000 m, National bronze medallist), Joy Thomas (Athletics, National bronze medallist), Akshay C (Pencak silat, National bronze medallist), and Robin S (Basketball, National bronze medallist), Faisan (Kabadi, junior national 3rd). These are some among the dignitaries who enjoyed the benevolence and patronage of Ayurvedic treatment recently through SARC units.
Impact assessment of sports Ayurveda in various aspects
- Enhance the endurance and strength of sports personnel :- This is the area where sports Ayurveda is intervening its expertise presently. We are planning to extend it to total fitness control programme and aid the future talents to the sports field in coordination with sports schools.
- Pre-event, event and post event management :- Pre event conditioning event and post event management are the main areas where the requirements of sports personnel must be taken care of. SARC research cells are currently focussing on these thrust areas to deliver each sports personnel a complete, injury-free optimum performance level.
- Injury management :- Acute injury management is the main thrust area of SARC units. Through our centres and medical teams, we have covered all major events like Commonwealth games, National games and School games and successfully managed acute sports injuries.
- Outreach activities :- School-based total fitness programmes may be incorporated with outreach activities. The importance of sports Ayurveda and relevance of sports Ayurveda in enhancing the endurance and strength of sports personnel can be achieved by these activities. On-field attention and emphasis in acute injury managements in major games are now going on.
- Training programmes :- SARC is conducting various training programmes for conducting awareness of sports Ayurveda among coaches and school going students.