Rs 750-cr Yoga and naturopathy institute to be set up in AP

Vijayawada: In a major boost to traditional medicine and wellness education, the Central government proposed to establish the country’s first Apex Research Institute for Yoga and Naturopathy (RYS) in Andhra Pradesh at an estimated cost of Rs 750 crore, according to health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav.

The institute, to be set up by the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy under the ministry of AYUSH, will function on the lines of AIIMS.

The Centre has written to the state government seeking 40 acre land for the prestigious institution.

The proposed institute will house a 450-bed state-of-the-art naturopathy hospital and serve as a hub for research and training in Yoga and Naturopathy.

The academic component will include 100 undergraduate (BNYS) and 20 postgraduate seats in the first phase.

Minister Satya Kumar Yadav said that the new medical college would significantly expand the reach of naturopathy and produce more trained professionals in the field.

Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the AYUSH ministry for responding positively to his request, the Minister said the initiative marks a new milestone for holistic healthcare in the state.

He added that while national AYUSH institutions are already operating in some states, the proposed institute in Andhra Pradesh would function at a higher level, serving as a model for integrative medical education and research in India.

The Centre has also approved a Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy at Nadimpalem village in Prattipadu mandal, Guntur district, near the Katuri Medical College, with an investment of ₹100 crore. The State Government has allotted 12.96 acres for the project, which will focus exclusively on healthcare services.

In Visakhapatnam, construction of a Naturopathy College is progressing with joint funding from the Centre and the state.

The institution is expected to start BNYS courses with 100 seats from the 2026–27 academic year, following approval from the AYUSH ministry.

The AYUSH ministry has allocated Rs 165.65 crore to Andhra Pradesh in the 2025–26 Union Budget, with funding shared in a 60:40 ratio between the Centre and the state. The Centre has already released 50 per cent of its share, and the state has matched the amount.

New integrated AYUSH hospitals are also planned across the state, along with a new Ayurveda Medical College in Dharmavaram and a Unani college in a major urban centre.

Minister Satya Kumar noted that with these projects, AYUSH medicine in Andhra Pradesh has entered a transformative phase, combining education, research, and clinical care to promote traditional healing systems at a global level.