Speakers of the Ayurveda Symposium 2019

Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha MD (Ayu) is the Secretary for AYUSH, Government of India. Previously, he was the Vice Chancellor (President) of the prestigious Gujarat Ayurved University in Jamnagar. He is the founder of the Chakrapani Ayurveda clinic and product line in Jaipur. He has received several awards for his work, including the Padmashri Award, the fourth highest civilian award in India.

Director, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA)
Prof. Dr. Tanuja Nesari, BAMS, MD (Ayu), PhD (Ayu) Director, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA). She is the Chair for the Health Sector sub-skill Council for AYUSH and a member of Governing Council of IMS, BHU. Dr. Nesari is also a member of the General Assembly of ICCR, a Member of the Board of Governors, CCIM and serves on the academic board of various universities like ITRA, Jamnagar & National Academic and Research Bodies.
She serves as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of CCRAS and domain expert of the Technical Screening Committee (TSC) of NMPB. Her influential leadership has brought more than 20 MOUs into the credit of AIIA. She played a key role in converting AIIA Hospital, New Delhi into COVID Healthcare Centre, where the patients are being provided holistic Ayurveda treatment.

Practitioner of alternative medicine
Hans Heinrich Rhyner, MD, PhD (Alternative Medicine), Dipl. NHP Ayurveda Medicine, is a recognized expert and pioneer of Ayurvedic medicine in Europe. He lived in India for 25 years and ran his own clinic in Bangalore. He looks back on 40 years of clinical experience and is the author of textbooks on Ayurveda. He applies his knowledge in his swiss clinic in Teufen, in Munich, Vienna and on Mallorca as well as in his manufacture of Ayurveda products in Austria.

Ayurveda lifestyle consultant and trainer
Stina Andersson BSc is the leading instructor of Ayurveda Life Training and owns the first Ayurvedic clinic in Ängelholm, Sweden. She is a professional and dedicated lecturer and is committed to spreading the Vedic knowledge in the northern latitudes. She combines her previous experience as an engineer and manager with the Ayurvedic knowledge in a unique leadership program. Stina holds a degree as Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant from the American Institute of Vedic Studies/David Frawley and has advanced clinical experience from the International Academy of Ayurveda, Pune, India.

Master of Science in Ayurvedic Medicine, certified educator, alternative practitioner
Oliver Becker has been practicing Ayurvedic medicine in his own clinic for many years. At the European Academy of Ayurveda, he works as a lecturer, module leader, educational coach and interpreter in the Ayurvedic Medicine course. In addition, he teaches in various other training courses of the Academy. His professional focus as a lecturer includes pharmacology and internal medicine of Ayurveda. In addition to Ayurvedic medicine, he has profound knowledge of yoga, Vedic knowledge systems and Sanskrit.

Ambassador for Ayurveda and Yoga in Great Britain
Amarjeet S. Bhamra administers the influential All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Indian Traditional Sciences. In this position he has made a significant contribution to raising awareness of holistic health in the UK. Among other things, he has helped develop national professional qualifications and standards for Shiro Abhyanga and Yoga. Amarjeet was the inspiration for the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Indian Traditional Sciences in April 2018 and has the privilege of being one of the "100 most influential people in British Indian relations".

Professor and head of Ayurvedic pharmaceutics at the BHU
Prof. Anand K. Chaudhary is Head of the Department of Ayurvedic Pharmacy at the National Third Rank University of India (NIRF 2020) Varanasi, Banaras Hindu University. He is also a member of the Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia Committee of PCIMH and Chairman of the Drug Development Committee of the Scientific Advisory Group of the Central Council of Researches in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of AYUSH of the Government of India. Prof. Anand K. Chaudhary has published 92 research papers in prestigious journals. He has received many national academic awards from the Government and the prestigious
India's private sector.

Head of the Ayurveda department at the Habichtswaldklinik Kassel
Ananda Samir Chopra, MD, studied medicine and Indology at the University of Heidelberg. After his license to practice medicine, he spent one year in Kolkata, India, studying Ayurveda. Since 1996 leading physician of the Ayurveda Clinic Kassel. 2009 to 2011 scientific assistant in a research project on the modern history of Ayurveda at the University of Heidelberg. Furthermore, he is the 1st chairman of DÄGAM e.V. (German Medical Society for Ayurveda Medicine). In addition to his clinical activities, Dr. Chopra continues to be scientifically active in the history of medicine. Since his childhood he has been learning and practicing Indian classical music (Hindustani Sangit).

Associate Professor Panchakarma at the AIIA, New Delhi

Dr. Prasanth Dharmarajan PhD comes from a family of Ayurvedic doctors in Kerala and was one of the first employees of the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), the top institute of the AYUSH Ministry of the Indian government. Over the years he established numerable Panchakarma set ups for Government of India under Ministry of Ayush. Ayurveda wellness centre LBSNAA Mussorie, Department of Integrative medicine Safdarjung Hospital, Ayush wellness centre Supreme Court, Ayurveda wellness centre - statue of unity Gujarat, Deerghayu - Army Base hospital, Delhi)

In 2015, he was appointed as assistant professor for Panchakarma. He built up and developed the Panchakarma Department, which now treats over hundreds of patients per day. He created the first national standards for training panchakarma therapists/ Technicians in India and trained the Institute's Doctoral (PhD), postgraduate students (MD) and therapists. Currently he serves as Associate dean for international cooperation cell of ayurveda (ICCA) in AIIA, National nodal officer for skill development programs of Ayush at AIIA and as Nodal officer for extension centres of AIIA. He is involved with various national and international research projects with reputed organizations in the field of Integrative research and Panchakarma.

Previously he worked in the Department of Panchakarma and Integrative Medical Studies at the Mata Amritanandamayi Math and its Ayurvedic School of Kerala. There he led and taught educational programs for hundreds of international students, including Western doctors and medical personnel.

Swiss Certified Naturopath for Ayurveda Medicine
Petra Eich-Mylo is one of the selected alternative practitioners and specialists for Ayurveda therapy and herbal medicine in Germany. For many years she has been leading the Ayurveda Pancakarma Cures at the Rosenberg Ayurveda Health and Spa Centre together with Dr. Gupta. Here she accompanies the patients in their intensive cure process to holistic health and healing. In Zurich she runs her own Ayurveda practice.

Graduate ecotrophologist
Dr. Astrid Gerstemeier has been self-employed for over 20 years in her own practice for holistic classical and Ayurvedic nutritional advice and coaching. From 2001-2006 she was also head of the nutrition department of the outpatient neurodermatitis therapy centre Schwelmer Modell. In 2010 she founded the Sonnenberg Health Centre in Wiesbaden, which she still runs today. In holistic coaching sessions she accompanies clients in the development of new behavioural patterns to improve their quality of life. As an experienced lecturer and specialist, she trains professionals and patients in Ayurvedic and classical dietetics. She holds a doctorate in oecotrophology, is an Ayurvedic nutrition and health consultant (European Academy of Ayurveda), certified nutritionist (VDOE), nutritional expert for allergology (DAAB) and coach for holistic personality coaching (Academy for Holistic Leadership).

Managing Director euroved
Uwe Gramminger, a qualified textile business economist, can look back on more than 25 years of management experience as a multiple CEO in the global textile and fashion industry before founding the sustainable management consultancy Carpe Diem Consilium, which is aimed exclusively at owner-managed SMEs.
In 2017, he joined the family business euroved as Managing Director, which was founded by his sister Dr. med. Harsha Gramminger and which has been producing, importing and distributing Ayurveda products in Europe as an organic-certified company since 1999. Together with euroved, Uwe Gramminger is a member of the executive committee of the Ayurveda Dachverband Deutschland ADAVED e.V. and head of the Ayurveda products IUI (distributors and importers) section of the association.

Specialist for pediatric and adolescent medicine
Dr. med. Pamila Grimm completed her studies and her doctorate in human medicine at the Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-University in Frankfurt am Main. She trained as a specialist in paediatric and adolescent medicine in the paediatric clinic of the former municipal hospitals in Offenbach. International experience in London, UK in paediatric gastroenterology at St. Georges Hospital as well as in a private practice as Consultant Paediatrician. After the birth of her three children, she worked in various paediatric practices in Germany and gained several years of experience at the SPC in Frankfurt-Höchst. Currently working in the paediatric and adolescent medical service of the public health department of the city of Frankfurt and in a paediatric practice in Bad Homburg. In addition, she is currently in the Master's programme for Ayurveda Medicine at the European Academy for Ayurveda in Birstein; for her it is a return to her Indian roots.

Master of Science (MSc) in Ayurveda Medicine, Yoga teacher
Birgit Gröne-Tappe is a yoga teacher, Ayurveda physician, alternative practitioner and physiotherapist. During several stays in India with various internships she deepened her knowledge in a lasting way. She passes on her experiences authentically and yet adapted to our western habits in order to achieve the best possible success with the patient individually. Her group work is based on a contemporary, holistically oriented body and movement pedagogy, which is focused on stress management and health care.

Ayurveda Clinic Director, Professor, J.S. Ayurveda College, Vice Chancellor, Maganbhai Adenwala Mahagujarat University, India
Prof. Shivenarain Gupta MD (Ayu) is a physician and professor of Ayurvedic medicine from Nadiad (India). He earned his doctorate degree from the famous Ayurveda University of Jamnagar. Today he heads the Department of Internal Medicine at the P. D. Patel Ayurveda Hospital. As a professor of the affiliated J. S. Ayurveda College, he has succeeded in establishing one of the most prestigious pancakarma clinics in India, where patients from India and Europe receive help. He was awarded by IASTAM (India) for his achievements in teaching and appointed as Vice Chancellor, Maganbhai Adenwala Mahagujarat University in 2022. At the European Academy of Ayurveda, he has been one of the key teachers and academic head of training in Ayurvedic Medicine for many years.

Ayurveda Physician
Sascha Kriese completed a three-year course of Ayurveda studies at Thames Valley University London and learned the art of pulse reading in India from his mentor Dr. Pankaj Naram. For many years he has been running his own Ayurveda practice in Brighton. He is also Co-President of the Ayurvedic Practitioners Association (APA).

specialist for internal medicine
Dr. med. Marisa Hübner is a specialist for internal medicine, nutritional medicine and has completed the main course of studies in Ayurveda medicine at the European Ayurveda Academy in Birstein. Currently, she works in the private practice for naturopathy at the Immanuel Hospital in Berlin with a focus on Ayurveda as well as in the clinical research for naturopathy at the Charité at the Immanuel Hospital, where she, among other things, helps to establish the Register for Ayurvedic Case Studies (SACRO).

Practitioner of alternative medicine, Ayurveda specialist
Vanita Kansal completed six years of Ayurvedic medicine with a focus on Panchakarma therapy in India with distinction. Afterwards she worked as a lecturer and Ayurveda physician at several clinics in India. In addition, she gave lectures on Ayurveda topics in Germany, Switzerland, China and India. Since 2010 she has been working as an Ayurvedic doctor in the Ayurveda Parkschlösschen, Traben-Trarbach. Well-founded expertise in Panchkarma-cure guidance, nutritional science, Ayurvedic lifestyle, herbal medicine and meditation. In the meantime she has acquired the title of alternative practitioner in Mainz.

Senior physician, researcher, Indologist
Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Christian S. Keßler, MA, MSc (Ayur. Medicine - Middlesex) is senior physician and research coordinator at Immanuel Hospital Berlin and is scientifically active at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin with a focus on Ayurveda. He has led and published various studies on Ayurveda in recent years. His master's degree in Indology enables him to explore Ayurveda comprehensively and in its academic depth. Christian Kessler is Chairman of the Board of the German Medical Association for Ayurveda DÄGAM and a member of the Executive Committee of the Ayurveda Dachverband Deutschland, ADAVED e.V.

Medical doctor
Ulrich Koch is a doctor, yoga teacher and head of the homeopathic practice in the Psychiatric Institute Outpatient Clinic in Hofheim. He is a pioneer in the research and clinical application of yoga and meditation for people with mental disorders.

Head of the Department of Herbal Medicine at the NIA
Dr. Mita Kotecha MD (Ayu) PhD (Ayu) is Professor and Head of the Dravyaguna Department at the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA) in Jaipur. Her professional career is dedicated to herbal medicine, which she has been teaching in a leading position since 1991. Dr. Kotecha is also Chairman and member of a number of committees including AYUSH, NIA and Rajasthan Ayurveda University.

Practitioner of alternative medicine
Markus Ludwig enjoyed 5 years of training in the Kalari martial and healing arts in India. Research in Marma-Nadi-Therapy, development of the "Holistic Kalari Therapy". Extensive activity as alternative practitioner and lecturer for Kalari therapy since 2000.

Chairman of Ayurveda, University of Latvia, Riga
Prof. Brahmananda Mahapatra, is one of the top-class experts in the field of Ayurvedic education and research. He is currently Chairman of the Ayurveda Chair at the University of Latvia, Riga, represented by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India. He has been working professionally in the field of Ayurvedic education and research for 35 years. He received the prestigious "Scientist of the Year Award 2006" of the National Environmental Science Academy (NESA), New Delhi, the "Eminent Educationist Award-2011" of the National & International Compendium (NIC), New Delhi, and the "Bharat Vidya Siromani Award-2011" of the Indian Solidarity Council (ISC), New Delhi.

Indologist and religious scholar
Prof. Dr. Martin Mittwede is head of the Master of Science in Ayurveda Medicine at the European Academy of Ayurveda. The indologist and religious scholar habilitated already in 1996 with a research project on Ayurveda and has many years of experience in further medical training. He also teaches at the University of Frankfurt/Main and has published numerous works on Ayurveda medicine.

Neurologist and Ayurveda doctor

Ayurveda doctor and researcher, director of Ayuwave
Dr. Vijayendar Murthy is an internationally recognized Ayurvedic physician and researcher. He is the Director of Ayuwave London, UK, and Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton. Murthy received his diverse medical education and clinical practice in India, New Zealand, Australia and England. He lives and works in London. His healing methods attract a wide range of health seekers and patients, including stars and the British Royal Family. Dr Murthy also runs an innovative radio show called "Unlock your Health".

Specialist for physical and rehabilitative medicine, medical psychotherapist
Dr. med. Kalyani Nagersheth has been working as an Ayurveda doctor since 2000 and was head of the Ayurveda department at the Habichtswald-Klinik, Kassel. Today she runs her own clinic for Ayurveda medicine in Frankfurt. She also takes over the medical supervision of Panchakarma cures at the Rosenberg Ayurveda Health and Spa Centre. One of her specialties is Western and Ayurvedic Phythotherapy. She is a book author and has many years of experience as a lecturer in Ayurvedic medicine.

Pharmacologist
Cornelis Peters studied pharmacology and physiology at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences and became a research associate at several leading hospitals in the Netherlands. Among them is the famous Dutch Cancer Institute, Antony van Leeuwenhoek. During a sabbatical in India, he came across Ayurveda and became fascinated with this healing method that he studied to become an Ayurveda doctor. He founded the Europa Ayurveda Centre in the Netherlands with his late wife, Dr. V.P. Mohana Kumari, and son Vighnesh M. Peters. Together they are the inspiring driving force behind this institute. Europa Ayurveda Centre (EAC) is an agricultural estate with treatment and research facilities. The center is actively involved in research projects with Ayurvedic medicinal plants grown on 10 ha of land owned by the center.

Europa Ayurveda Centre (EAC) is an agricultural estate with treatment and research facilities. The centre is actively involved in research projects with Ayurvedic medicinal plants grown on 10 hectares of land owned by the centre.

Master of Science (MSc) in Ayurveda Medicine, Expert Intensive Care NDS HFe
Luise Pfluger-Graf has been working intensively and widely with Ayurveda since 2013. Since 2014 she has successfully run her own practice and worked for one year as an Ayurveda director for a 5 star group. She is currently training as a Vedic astrologer and is scientifically active as a CAS Study Nurse/Coordinator at the University Clinic for Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy, University Hospital Inselspital Bern.

Founder of the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre Bad Ems
Lothar Pirc has made Ayurveda one of his central life themes. He trained as a teacher for Transcendental Meditation in France, Germany and Switzerland. A career in hotel management in Switzerland and stations of teaching Ayurveda in the Netherlands, Kenya, Cyprus and the USA followed. In 1992 Lothar Pirc and his wife Karin founded the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre in Bad Ems. He has received several international awards and is a sought-after speaker and author of scientific articles.

Ayurvedic pediatrician at the AIIA
Dr. Rajagopala Shrikrishna MD (Ayu) PhD is specialized in Ayurveda pediatrics. After completing his PG training he served for 4 years at the undergraduate colleges in Karnataka. During his more than 15 years at Gujarat Ayurveda University he was lecturer and course coordinator for the BAMS study program exclusively for foreigners according to ICAS (International Centre for Ayurveda Studies). He has more than 28 years of professional experience and more than 15 years of exclusive teaching and research experience at postgraduate level. He currently works as Associate Professor and Head, Dept. of Kaumarabhritya (Ayurveda Pediatrics) at the All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi.

Ayurveda doctor and pharmacologist
Dr. Rammanohar Puthiyedath MD (Ayu) is a doctor of Ayurvedic medicine and specialised in Ayurvedic pharmacology. He is currently working as Director of Research at Amrita School of Ayurveda, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Kollam, Kerala. He is a Visiting Professor at Southern California University of Health Sciences, USA and Co-Chair of the Special Interest Group (SIG) for Ayurveda, Society for Integrative Oncology. He is a part time member of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, Government of India. He serves as Research Advisor for Indian National Science Academy and Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Government of India. He is particularly interested in Integrative Medicine as well as Psychology and spirituality from an Ayurvedic perspective.

Specialist for Ayurveda nutrition
Kerstin Rosenberg runs the European Academy for Ayurveda together with her husband. The internationally renowned specialist for Ayurveda and nutrition has been training people in Ayurveda nutrition and health counselling, psychology and therapy throughout Europe since 1996. She has 25 years of practical experience in Ayurveda and is in daily contact with patients, training participants and spa guests. As an author, she has published numerous Ayurveda books, which are among the best known works of Ayurveda literature.

Director of the European Academy for Ayurveda
Mark Rosenberg heads the European Academy for Ayurveda and is managing partner of the Rosenberg Ayurveda companies. He has many years of experience as a management consultant, Vastu expert and Yoga teacher BDY/EYU. He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of VEAT - Berufsverband Europäischer Ayurveda-Mediziner und -Therapeuten e.V. He was awarded the prestigious Vaidya Sundarlal Joshi Memorial Management Award by MGMS (India) to honour him for his outstanding management achievements in the field of Ayurveda. He also received the IASTAM Pandit Shiv Sharma Oration Award.

Practitioner of Ayurveda medicine and indologist
Elmar Stapelfeldt is an alternative practitioner, master of indology and author. He is currently active as a non-medical practitioner, nutritionist and scientific assistant at the Immanuel Hospital in Berlin. He has extensive experience in the application of Ayurvedic medicine. Among other things, he was a long-standing lecturer at the European Academy for Ayurveda, including 5 years as head of the department of Ayurvedic Medicine.