Diplomatic program to retrieve indigenous medicinal books.

November 20, 2024

political Current Affairs

Diplomatic program to retrieve indigenous medicinal books.

February 26, 2021

A discussion was held under the patronage of Sisira Jayakody, State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and Ayurvedic Hospitals Development and Community Health regarding a diplomatic program to retrieve Hela Veda books, palm leaf manuscripts and documents related to indigenous medicine which were taken abroad during the colonial period and are now kept abroad.

The said discussion was carried out integrating the State Ministry of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and Ayurvedic Hospitals Development and Community Health, Department of Ayurveda, Ministry of Justice, Foreign Ministry, Department of Archeology, Department of National Archives, Department of National Museums, Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and National Library and Documentation Services Board.

There was a lengthy discussion on the implementation of a comprehensive program to obtain medical books and documents related to our indigenous medicine, which are kept abroad, both legally and illegally.

Mr. Jayakody further added that, “as the State Ministry for Indigenous Medicine, we initiated the conservation of these palm-leaf manuscripts. There are around 2227 books related to indigenous medicine in a British museum. A joint diplomatic program will be implemented to bring them back to Sri Lanka”.

Secretary to the State Ministry of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and Ayurvedic Hospitals Development and Community Health, Kumari Weerasekara, Commissioner of Ayurveda, Chathura Kumaratunga, Director General of Foreign Ministry S. Fernando, Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Justice Roshani Hettige, Chief Conservation Officer of the Department of Archeology, Nihal Sindeniya were also present at this occasion.