To commemorate the World Health Day, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda (CUPB) organized a Webinar on ‘Innovations during COVID-19 Pandemic: India’s response to become a global leader’. CUPB institutions Innovation Council (IIC) and National Service Scheme (NSS) conducted this programme under the patronage of Vice Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari. The keynote speaker of the programme was Shri Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, G.O.I. Dr. Anasuya Roy, Founder and CEO, Nanosafe Solutions Pvt. Ltd. joined the programme as a special guest.At the start of the programme, Prof. R.K. Wusirika, Dean Incharge Academics, delivered a welcome address. While introducing the keynote speaker, he shared that Prof. Kotecha is an Indian Ayurveda Physician who received Padma Shri Award for Medicine in 2015. Dr. Sabyasachi Senapati and Dr. Preeti Khetarpal put a light on the programme theme.The keynote speaker Shri Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary Ministry of Ayush, spoke about the Ayush Initiatives during COVID-19. He stated that Ayurveda is science which is an assemblage of the body, mind, senses and soul hence collectively called as life. He informed that Ayurveda has been divided into 4 types such as Hitayu, Ahitayu, Sukhayu, Dukhayu which are the important keys for a healthy life. He highlighted that Ayurveda believes in imparting Sukhayu and Hitayu.
In later part of his lecture he discussed various initiatives taken up by ministry of AYUSH during COVID-19 times, which includes training programmes, setting up new interdisciplinary research collaborations for critical evaluation & promotion of various herbs as immune-modulators.The second speaker Dr. Anasuya Roy, founder and chief executive officer of Nanosafe Solutions briefed about the ‘Universal Masking and its role as a weapon against Covid-19 Pandemic’. Later she talked about her innovative startup called "Nanosafe Solutions" which has launched an antimicrobial and washable face mask "NSafe", which is reusable up to 50 launderings. She also shared about Rubsafe sanitizer which is zero-alcohol formulation which is effective for 24 hours and is safe to be applied on baby’s skin.In his presidential remarks, Vice Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari expressed his gratitude towards the keynote speaker and guest speaker for their thoughts on the programme theme. He emphasized that the health of human being is dependent on the health of our cosmos and we should put best efforts to develop a clean environment by adopting sustainable development goals. He asserted that the situation of COVID-19 has reaffirmed that our Indian dietary traditions provide us better immunity and keeps us healthy in different weather seasons.Towards the end, Dr. Monisha Dhiman, President IIC and Coordinator NSS, proposed a formal vote of thanks. CUPB faculty, staff, scholars and students virtually attended this programme through an online platform.