LEH, SEPT 22: The State Medicinal Plant Board (SMPB), Union Territory of Ladakh, organised a Medicinal Plant Identification Camp-cum-Herbal Garden Open Day at the CSIR-IIIM Experimental Research & Development Station/Farm, Palam, Leh, as part of the 11th Ayurveda Day 2026 celebrations.
Students of Classes 5 to 10 from Government High School, Shey, along with their teachers, participated in the programme aimed at creating awareness about the identification, traditional uses, cultivation, conservation and sustainable utilisation of medicinal plants.
Dr. Phunchok Angmo, Consultant (Botany), SMPB, welcomed the students and faculty and highlighted the significance of Ayurveda Day and the role of medicinal plants in traditional healthcare systems. She stressed the need to promote conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plant resources, particularly in Ladakh’s fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
A technical session was conducted by Zabir Ahmed, Technical Assistant, CSIR-IIIM, who briefed the students on identifying selected medicinal plants, their uses, cultivation methods and conservation practices. The session focused on helping students recognise key characteristics of medicinal plant species and understand the importance of their sustainable management.
The students later visited the herbal garden at the CSIR-IIIM facility, where they observed different medicinal plant species and interacted with technical experts. The field-based activity provided them with practical exposure to the characteristics and uses of various plants.
The programme highlighted the importance of introducing younger generations to Ladakh’s medicinal plant wealth and encouraging greater awareness about its conservation and sustainable utilisation.
The SMPB expressed gratitude to the CSIR-IIIM Experimental Research & Development Station/Farm, Palam, for facilitating the programme and to Government High School, Shey, for the active participation of its students and teaching faculty.
The event concluded with a call for continued educational and awareness initiatives aimed at conserving Ladakh’s medicinal plant resources in the spirit of the 11th Ayurveda Day celebrations.
