(This story originally appeared in on Feb 13, 2017)

NEW DELHI: Amid demands from certain quarters to check the veracity of ancient knowledge through scientific research, the Centre has decided to set up a central body, comprising scientists and health experts, to study the role of cow urine and dung in curing diseases.

The central body - a national steering committee for scientific validation - will evaluate whether 'Panchagavya' - a concoction of cow urine mixed with cow dung, milk, curd and ghee - can cure diseases.



This programme will be coordinated by the Centre for Rural Development and Technology (CRDT) at IIT Delhi. The idea to evaluate the role of 'Panchgavya' was first mooted when scientists from across the country floated the proposal at a workshop organised by IIT in December 2016.

Head of CRDT professor Virendra Kumar Vijay told TOI that the centre will hold its national working committee meeting in IIT Delhi on Monday where the issue would be discussed in detail.

"The ministry of science and technology will soon announce the composition of the steering committee which will work for scientific validation to evaluate the role of Panchagavya," said Vijay, who has been working on cow dung and cow urine based products for long.

The matter had come up in Parliament during the Budget session when minister of state for science and technology Y S Chowdary, in response to a question, had said on February 8 that CRDT was coordinating with universities and institutions for formulation of various R&D projects for funding.

In his written response to a Parliament question, Chowdary had said no specific budget allocation was made for this purpose.

"However, the submitted project proposals are funded under existing R&D schemes," he said.

It will be the second such project where the science and technology ministry would involve itself with strengthening research on India's ancient knowledge of natural substances in the context of its benefits to health. Earlier, a programme called Satyam - Science and Technology of Yoga and Meditation - was launched to strengthen research in the areas of yoga and meditation. The ministry had conceptualised the programme under its Cognitive Science Research Initiative (CSRI).

"An objective of Satyam is to harness knowledge obtained in academic institutions and other related agencies for finding science and technology-led solutions that would enable people to cope with stress and strain associated with fast changing social, economic, environmental and professional circumstances," an official said.