Global Ayurveda Festival, Kochi

Following the start of the series in Trivandrum in 2012, the Second Global Ayurveda Festival with the Theme, “Ayurveda in Public Health,” was held in Cochin from 21^st to 25^th of February, 2014. It proved a great success due to the support of the State Government of Kerala, the Center for Science and Social Action under Dr G G Gangadharan, and other official sponsors, including a broad arm of commercial sponsorship. The Exhibition and Arogya Expo of Ayurveda products were well supported and attended, particularly by local Ayurveda product companies from Kerala, which is now recognized as India’s primary centre for traditional Ayurveda practice and teaching. The Ayurveda Education Expo was attended by thousands of Ayurveda students who had come to the festival. The State of Kerala is the main national destination for Ayurveda Health Tourism, which is an ever-increasing source of valuable foreign exchange earnings. Over 350 foreign guests from 35 countries around the world, including all eight South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries, were also in attendance.