CCRAS-CARI and University of Delhi sign MoU to document medicinal plant diversity of DU North Campus

November 12, 2026

AYUSH

प्रविष्टि तिथि: 12 NOV 2026 5:25PM by PIB Delhi

The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) – Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI), New Delhi and the University of Delhi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 10 November 2026 to undertake a collaborative project titled “Inventory of Phyto-diversity of Medicinal Importance Used in Ayurveda of North Campus of Delhi University.”

The MoU was formally signed by Prof. (Vd.) Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS, and Dr. Vikas Gupta, Registrar, University of Delhi, at the VC Office, North Campus, New Delhi.

The project aims to systematically document, identify and conserve the medicinal plant diversity available across the 250-300 acres of the University of Delhi’s North Campus. The initiative seeks to explore the rich botanical heritage of the campus and document plant species of medicinal importance described in Ayurveda.

The major activities under the project will include comprehensive field surveys, identification and documentation of medicinal plant species, preparation of herbarium specimens, and installation of QR-code-enabled name boards across the campus to facilitate easy identification and access to information about medicinal plants.

The project will also result in the preparation of an illustrated pictorial book documenting the medicinal flora of the North Campus, along with joint research publications to disseminate the scientific findings.

Prof. K. Ratnabali, Dean of Academic Affairs, Delhi University; Prof. (Dr.) Shobha Bagai, Director of the Cluster Innovation Centre (CIC), Delhi; Dr. Hemanta Panigrahi, Director in Charge, CARI, New Delhi; Dr. Sakshi Sharma, Research Officer and PI of the Project, CARI, New Delhi; Prof. (Dr.) Suresh Kumar, PI of the Project, Cluster Innovation Centre (CIC), University of Delhi; and Prof. (Dr.) Vandana, Department of Chemistry, Dyal Singh College, Delhi University, were also present on the occasion.

This collaborative initiative represents an important step towards strengthening institutional cooperation in the fields of Ayurveda, biodiversity conservation, medicinal plant research and scientific documentation. It is expected to contribute significantly to raising awareness about the medicinal wealth of the university campus and promoting the conservation and sustainable utilisation of medicinal plant resources.