The National Institute of Naturopathy’s (NIN) Nisarg Gram in Yewalewadi, Pune, hosted the valedictory of the 8th Naturopathy Day celebrations on 18 November 2025, underlining nature-based living, Gandhian principles and preventive health through lifestyle changes. The three-day Natural Food Festival drew citizens, practitioners and students to celebrate holistic health and self-reliance.
“Naturopathy is a way of life,” says Governor
Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, who presided over the function, described naturopathy as more than treatment — it is a lifelong practice of harmony with nature that Mahatma Gandhi championed. He stressed balanced diet, exercise, disciplined living and positive thinking as core elements that enable the body to heal itself, and linked naturopathy to national efforts to curb obesity.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, urged citizens to embrace chemical-free diets and natural lifestyles. “Health cannot be bought — it must be earned through nature-based living,” he said, emphasising yoga and naturopathy as essential countermeasures to rising lifestyle diseases.
Festival highlights and honours
The event featured the release of NIN-published books and a commemorative postal stamp honouring the institute. Winners of essay, slogan, quiz, elocution and research competitions held to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s 156th birth anniversary were felicitated. Awards including the Dadaji Dr Dinshaw K. Mehta Award and Dr S. N. Murty Award were conferred on notable contributors.
Participation and local leadership
Organisers reported enthusiastic participation from medical practitioners, students and local residents. Dignitaries present included Dr Kavita Jain (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ayush), Suchita Joshi (Postmaster General, Pune Region) and Amrendra Singh (Director-in-Charge, NIN). The programme opened with the National Anthem and the Maharashtra state song and concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr D. Satyanath.
Why Naturopathy Day matters
Observed nationally each year on 18 November, Naturopathy Day commemorates Mahatma Gandhi’s association with naturopathy and promotes prevention-oriented, low-cost interventions for community health. NIN’s Nisarg Gram, established as an extension of the institute’s outreach, showcases interventions that combine traditional wisdom and modern naturopathic practice.
Takeaways for readers
The Pune celebrations reiterated three simple public health messages: adopt a chemical-free, natural diet; practice disciplined daily routines including exercise and yoga; and revive Gandhian self-reliance in health through community education. For policymakers and citizens alike, Naturopathy Day underscores prevention as a pillar of equitable and affordable health.