India’s first trans-disciplinary health university, The Institute of Trans-disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (IHST) was formally launched in Bangalore on 19th January, 2014. The university envisions the initiation of a new model for integrated healthcare in India.
IHST is located inside the campus of the private varsity, the Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) at Yelahanaka, in the northern suburb of Bangalore. The campus is spread across an area of 17 acres.
IHST has been founded by Sam Pitroda, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations and the chairperson of National Innovation Council. Sam Pitroda is also the chairperson of the university. Darshan Shankar is the vice-chancellor of IHST.
IHST is considered to be the only university in the country that has the authorization to create a bridge between the Indian Shastras or sacred texts and the western biomedical sciences and technology. It is intended to facilitate creation of transformative knowledge and original Indian contributions to medicine and health sciences.
The university also heralds an innovative platform to spread the reach of healthcare to the masses while making it affordable for everybody in the country.
Aim of IHST
The institute was launched with an aim to revive Indian medical heritage. It seeks to integrate traditional Indian medicine and western medicine to create a new vertical of knowledge in the medicinal field. The university aspires to bring down the gap between the healthcare services available for the wealthy people and the poor people in the country. It plans to focus on the affordability, scalability and sustainability of medicines.
IHST wants to take forward the legacy of traditional Indian medicine through a proper channel of trans-disciplinary health care. As India has a rich medical heritage, the institute plans to tap the invaluable resource and bring it to the fore for the betterment of the society.
The institute intends to create a repository of the vast and varied medicinal herbs available across the country but are still not known to the people due to the lack of scientific data or evidence.
The institute has been working for around two decades as a voluntary organisation. It has been creating a database of all the medicinal plants available in the country and categorising it in a state wise manner. Till date more than 6500 medicinal plants have been identified and documented. The institute has the intention to create herbal handbooks for each and every taluk of Karnataka with special attention on the local herbs.
Courses Offered and Eligibility at IHST
IHST is dedicated to research and post-doctoral research in trans-disciplinary health sciences and technology to develop high quality human resources. As such, IHST is initially offering Ph.D. courses in integrated health science.
The research programmes will be available for the students belonging to the disciplines of life sciences and physical sciences, Ayurveda and bio-medical sciences from all over the country.
Facilities at IHST
At present the IHST has 200 people working under it. The university has a 100 bed strong hospital and herbal garden. It has documented literature related to around 6500 medicinal plants of the country.
Obstacles on the way
The institute requires a corpus of Rs 300 crore to carry on the development and research activities and for the expansion of IHST.
Contact Information
Institute Of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology
Foundation of Revitalization of Local Health Traditions
74/2 Jarakbande Kaval
Post: Attur, via Yelahanka
Bangalore – 560064
Email: info@frlht.org
Phone: +91 80 2856 8000 / 8001 / 8002 / 8003
Fax: +91 80 2856 7926