Gargi College has received a project grant of Rs 18.90 lakh with the topic "Ashwagandha a Health Promoter" from the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH, New Delhi, to take part in a Species Specific National Campaign in 2024–2025.

The project, led by Dr. Garvita Singh (Principal Investigator) and Dr. Renu Soni (Co-Principal Investigator) from the Department of Botany, Gargi College, with the aim to increasing the availability of Ashwagandha (Withaniasomnifera) plants and spread knowledge about their benefits for women's health and empowerment.

This nationwide campaign is a very effective step to popularise the uses and benefits of the Ashwagandha plant. Making people aware of the many health benefits of Ashwagandha and encouraging them to take advantage of this wonderful herb can prove to be very beneficial for society.

The major objectives of this nationwide campaign are – (i) To create awareness about the health benefits of Ashwagandha (medicinal and nutritional value in daily life) among the public especially women and girls, (ii) To distribute Ashwagandha saplings in the areas around Delhi, to encourage the cultivation of  Ashwagandha in their home gardens as a natural remedy, (iii) To provide training to people on cultivation and harvesting techniques of Ashwagandha and (iv) To disseminate information about the local and global demand of Ashwagandha.

Ashwagandha is a popular, natural herb used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine, which is used to improve physical and sexual health, boost energy and reduce stress and anxiety. Ashwagandha, commonly called Indian ginseng or Indian winter cherry, and belongs to the family Solanaceae.

It is named Ashwagandha because its roots smell like horses, and provide strength to the body like a horse. The roots and leaves of Ashwagandha are useful in making ayurvedic preparations. It is known for its Rasayana (tonic) properties such as immunomodulatory, anthelmintic, antipyretic, antistress, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and fungicidal properties.

Dr. Saurav Sharma, a Senior Consultant at Maharishi Ayurveda Hospital in New Delhi, is associated as our Ayurvedic Consultant for this campaign. However, it is always a good idea to consult an expert before consuming Ashwagandha. 

The aim of this campaign is to spread awareness about the health benefits of Ashwagandha as well as its cultivation and saplings distribution among various populations in Delhi through year-round activities. Through this campaign, Ashwagandha plants were distributed to students, teaching and non-teaching staff in various educational institutions, like Kendriya Vidyalaya Sadiq Nagar, Mata Gujri Public School, Kailash Colony, Kautilya Government Sarvodaya Co-education School, Chirag Enclave, Gargi College Mahavidyalaya, Kamala Nehru Mahavidyalaya, Miranda House etc.

Apart from this, plant distribution and awareness campaigns were also conducted in various RWA colonies of South Delhi, Police Station Staff GK 1, in the cycling marathon competition organized by Fortis, and cantonment area. We have made a simple effort to spread awareness from house to house through posters and pamphlets in print media.

Apart from awareness and distribution of Ashwagandha saplings, we have also organized various activities like essay-writing and poster-making competitions on Ashwagandha topics at school, college, and university levels to spread awareness among the younger generations.

In this National campaign, Gargi College organized a one-day national conference on the topic 'Ashwagandha: A Health Promoter - From Field to Pharmacy' on October 18, 2024, sponsored by the National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India. Eminent personalities from various fields of medicine and Ayurveda attended the event.

The Chief Guest of the conference was Professor Mahesh Dadhich, CEO, National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India and the Guest of Honour was Professor Deenbandhu Sahu, Head, Department of Botany, University of Delhi. The Chief Patron was Professor Alok Sharma, Chairperson, Governing Body, Gargi College.

Chief Guest Professor Mahesh Dadhich and Guest of Honour Professor Deenbandhu Sahu were felicitated by Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia, Principal of Gargi College and Professor Alok Sharma, Chairperson. The event concluded with the distribution of Ashwagandha and other medicinal plants to all the participants.

Various other activities will be organized nationwide to promote the use and benefits of the Ashwagandha plant. These initiatives will reach diverse audiences through platforms such as social media, print media, and other outreach channels.

This campaign is a significant step toward popularizing the Ashwagandha plant and its advantages. We are grateful to the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) and the Ministry of AYUSH for entrusting us with this project. Our heartfelt thanks also go to our Principal, Prof. Sangeeta Bhatia, for her unwavering support and guidance throughout this campaign.