Clash of interests mars setting up of Ayurveda University in Karnataka

The tussle between the Reddy brothers and chief minister BS Yeddyurappa has shifted towards the Ayurveda University which is coming up in the state. The power struggle on this turf has affected the setting up of the varsity, the announcement for which was done a year ago.

Sources in the state department of medical education said that the collision course involving the Reddys and Yeddyurappa was due to the location of the university. “The chief minister wants to set up the university in Shimoga while the Reddy brothers want it to be established in Bellary,” said a source.

The source in the state department of Ayush said that the department was ready for the setting up the university, but the confusion over the location delayed the process.

Meanwhile, rumour is doing the rounds that a senior official was flown to Bellary with Reddy brothers to find a suitable location in Bellary district to set up the university.

The central Ayush department is all set to release special funds of Rs10 crore to set up the university in Karnataka. “We need a minimum of Rs100 crore to set up a university. Central Ayush department will give Rs10 crore and the state has to provide the rest,” said an official.

However, officials from the state Ayush department want the university to be set up in Bangalore.

“Some influential people are trying to get it sanctioned to Mysore, and there is a strong pressure from both the chief minister and Reddy brothers. But being an official and expert in the field, I prefer Bangalore to other places,” the official said.

According to department officials, the number of people visiting Bangalore is higher than other cities.

“We want to give more scope to research activities. If the university is established at least within 100 km of Bangalore, it would attract people from other countries,” said the official.

The officials of the state Ayush department and medical education ministry hope the matter to be settled within a month.

Karnataka is the second state in the nation to get Ayurveda University after Gujarat.

According to the plan with the Ayush department, the Ayurveda University would concentrate on research activities and post-graduation studies.

“There is also a plan to bring all the Ayurveda Colleges across the state under the university, but we are thinking of concentrating only on research and higher studies,” said an official.