Awards for Excellence in Ayurveda
AAPNA is pleased to recognize excellence in the field of ayurveda and integrative health sciences with the following 30 awards:
AAPNA Special Awards (All AAPNA Members)
North America
International
All earnest and dedicated members of AAPNA who are practitioners, teachers, institutions, students, corporations and individuals in the field of ayurveda are welcome to apply for these awards.
The awards will each be granted to one honoree annually. Honorees will receive a certificate of recognition, and their names will be posted on the AAPNA website.
To apply for an award in 2010, please download the application below and mail your completed application by July 31, 2010 to:
AAPNA
567 Thomas Street
Coopersburg, PA 18036
U.S.A.
AAPNA Awards for Excellence in Ayurveda Application
Beginning in 2010, AAPNA will bestow the Vachaspathi Award for Outstanding Speaker annually at AAPNA's International Ayurveda Conference. All speakers at the conference will be considered for the award, and the judges will select one to be the recipient of the award.
2009 Award Winners
Veda Brahma Award Outstanding Scientific Invention:
Malireddy S. Reddy, Ph.D., D.V.M.
Founding Director, International Media and Cultures, Inc. (IMAC),
Denver, Colorado, USA and ADFAC, Inc. USA for invention of
Probiotics into Ayurvedic Supplements - Proyurveda
Veda Vyasa Award for Outstanding Book:
Vasant D. Lad, BAMS, MASc. for “Textbook of Ayurveda"
Founder & Director
Ayurveda Institute, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Chanakya Award for Outstanding Political Achievement:
Dr. Raman Singh, BAMS
Honorable Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, India
Indra Award for Excellence in Spiritual Teaching:
Respected Baba Hari Dass, Spiritual Teacher
Mount Madonna Institute, Watsonville, CA, USA
Rishi Award for Excellence in Teaching Meditation:
Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
Spiritual Head of the Himalayan Institute, PA, USA
Paanini Award for Excellence in Teaching Sanskrit:
Vyaas (Tuck) Houston, MA
Founder & Director, American Sanskrit Institute, NJ, USA
Parasara Award for Excellence in Jyotish (Astrology):
Pandit Dr. Dinesh Chandra Sati, MA, PhD
Founder, Himalayan Research Insitute, Rishikesh, India
Yogi/Yogini Award for Excellence in Teaching and Practicing Yoga:
Swami Ramdev ji
Pillar of Divya Yog Mandir (Trust) & Patanjali Yogpeeth (Trust), India
Gandharva Award for Excellence in Teaching and Performing Indian Classical Music:
Russill Paul
Concert performer, recording artist and record producer, renowned workshop and retreat facilitator,
professor in eastern spirituality
North America
Professional Members
Dhanwantari Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Practice:
Amitabh Gumman, B.A.M.S., M.D., M.P.H.
Founding Director, Harmony OK, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
Charaka Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Teaching:
Suhas Kshirsagar, B.A.M.S., M.D. in Ayurveda
Executive Director, Kerala Ayurveda-US Schools, Aptos, California, USA
Aryabhatta Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Research:
Lakshmi Mishra, Ph.D., M.Pharm, BIMS,
Founding Director, American Association of Practitioners and Researchers of Ayurveda (AAPRA) &
Director of National Center for Ayurveda and Toxicology Reviews, Rockville MD, USA
Associate Professional Members
Atreya Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Practice:
Tirun Gopal, M.D. F.A.C.O.G., L.Ac., Dipl. Ayurveda
Saint Luke’s Physician Group, Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA
Vagbhata Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Teaching:
Nina Usha Molin, M.D., Director of Wise Earth Ayurveda® Education US and
Physician, Canyon Ranch, Lenox, Massachusetts, USA
Patanjali Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Research:
Denise Tarasuk, ND, M.A. Ayu, Campbell, California, USA
Master’s dissertation on - Review and comparative analysis of
Ayurvedic literature regarding Ayurvedic Treatment Approach for
Tourette's syndrome: A Kampa Vata Disorder – Submitted to
Mount Madonna Institute’s College of Ayurveda, CA, USA
Institute Members
Nalanda Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Education:
American University of Complimentary Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
Student Members
Jeevaka Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Studies:
Stephanie C. Schneider, L.Ac. Dipl. Ac., C. Herb., M.S., Ayur.D. (Student)
American University of Complimentary Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
General Members
Dharma Award for Excellence in Promoting Awareness of Ayurveda:
Millie Herrera, M.B.A., Miami, Florida, USA
Corporate Members
Kautilya Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Business:
Hasmukh Rai Parekh, President, Komal Herbals, Inc. Sewickley, Pennsylvania, USA
International
Professional Members
Dhanwantari Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Practice:
Subhash Ranade, B.A.M.S., Ph.D.
Chairman, International Academy of Ayurveda, Pune, Maharashtra State, India
Charaka Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Teaching:
Pratap Chauhan, B.A.M.S.
Founding Director, Jiva Institute, Faridabad, New Delhi, India
Aryabhatta Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Research:
Sathyanarayna Dornala, B.A.M.S., M.D.-Ayurveda, Ph.D.
Medical Officer (Ayurveda), Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi, India
Associate Professional Members
Atreya Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Practice:
Jorge Luis Berra, M.D., Director, Fundacion de Salud Ayurveda Prema
Centro Colaborativo Gujarat Ayurved University, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Vagbhata Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Teaching:
Agnaldo Santos aka Arjun Das, Founding Director, TriGuna, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Patanjali Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Research:
Ramaprabhu Vempati, Ph.D., B.N.Y.S.
Research Leader, Wellpark College of Natural Therapies, Auckland, New Zealand
Institute Members
Nalanda Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Education:
Wellpark College of Natural Therapies, Auckland, New Zealand
Student Members
Jeevaka Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Studies:
Brian T. Ulrich, M.A. TESOL/Education, Switzerland
Gurukula Student of American School of Traditional Ayurveda (ASTA), Pennsylvania, USA and
International Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Andhra Pradesh, India
General Members
Dharma Award for Excellence in Promoting Awareness of Ayurveda:
Ms. Vasanthi Pillay, Founding Director, Ayurveda Association of Singapore, Singapore
Corporate Members
Kautilya Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Business:
D.R.K. Reddy, Managing Director, ADFAC Laboratories Private Limited
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh State, India
Testimonials
“Thank you From Mahima Ayurveda. The essence of Ayurveda resides in the heart of those who surrender themselves to serve divine consciousness and humanity. I am truly happy and excited to see that you are focused in bringing about this transformation with other great doctors and teachers to create such a shift in consciousness and awareness. Also to let you know that the management and staff of Mahima Ayurveda is here at your beckon to support this divine mission in any way possible."
- Kindest Regards, Namaskar, Zide.
"Komal Herbals, Inc. was privileged to be one of the sponsors of the 1st National Ayurveda Conference organized by AAPNA. The conference was a well organized event with impressive presenters from the field of Ayurveda, keen in sharing their knowledge and experience with like-minded attendees who were eager to gain and absorb the profound knowledge shared by each. The cordial and relaxed atmosphere of the conference made it fun for all participants during the event. Komal Herbals is especially thankful to AAPNA and the members of the committee in nominating and presenting the "Kautilya Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Business" to Mr. Hasmukh Parekh, President of Komal Herbals, Inc.
- Harpinder Kaur, Komal Herbals, Inc.
“I was pleasantly surprised at being bestowed with the North America Atreya award. I have been an Ayurvedic Practitioner in the Greater Lehigh Valley area for the past 15 years. I have also lectured extensively in the US, and on a regular basis, at the Cedar Crest Community College, Allentown, PA and University of PA, Philadelphia. I truly believe that it is a privilege to receive this honor from AAPNA. My sincere thanks to the governing members of AAPNA for this recognition.”
- Tirun Gopal MD, Allentown, PA, USA
“Receiving the International Patanjali award for excellence in Ayurvedic research gave me confidence in continuing my research projects on Ayurveda, as well as providing me with the necessary links in my field research. Although I have been working more on Naturopathy and Yoga, after receiving this award my research zeal on Ayurveda is getting strengthened. I am really grateful to AAPNA for bestowing me this award; it has helped me increase the pace of my research on Ayurveda.”
- Ramaprabhu Vempati, PhD, BNYS – New Zealand
"We at the American University of Complementary Medicine are honored and thrilled to accept AAPNA’s prestigious 2009 Nalanda Award for “Excellence in Education” and feel quite gratified that you have recognized our humble efforts to provide intensive and comprehensive education in Ayurveda in America, similar to that which is available in India, through our clinical Doctor of Ayurvedic Medicine (Ay.D.) degree program and our practitioner-scholar Ph.D. in Ayurveda degree program. We have been able to offer this education because of the unselfish contributions and diligent efforts of our esteemed Ayurvedic faculty from India, our staff, our administration, and our board of directors at this nonprofit institution. Offering the first and only state-approved doctoral programs in Ayurveda, we are proud to offer extensive hands-on clinical training through our 1,100-hour, required internship, which can be completed here on-site in our outpatient clinic in Beverly Hills and/or at various prestigious medical centers in South India. The faculty and administration are focused on presenting scientific papers at national and international conferences and publishing the same to bring awareness of Ayurveda to the greater health community, and we are working on partnership relationships with local medical schools to provide a venue for their Ayurvedic studies. Again, we are grateful for your organization and appreciation of what we do."
Namaste and with great appreciation - Kathryn White, Ph.D., President, American University of Complementary Medicine, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for honoring me with the International Dhanvantari Award from your esteemed Ayurvedic Institute. I have received many Awards from various institutes in India, as well as abroad; however, this is the first International Dhanvantari Award that has been bestowed on me, and I really appreciate the same. For the last 47 years, myself and my wife, Dr. Sunanda, have been working in the field of Ayurveda and propagating Ayurveda all over the world for the last 27 years. This is Karmayoga – the way of life – adopted by us. On this occasion, I pray to Lord Dhanvantari that you as well as your institute will continue to work in the field of Ayurveda for practitioners, students as well as for common people all over the world.”
- Prof. Em. Dr. Subhash Ranade, PhD - India
"I would like to express my gratitude for receiving the North America Jeevaka Award through AAPNA. It is such an enormous pleasure to realize that the many hours of study and work have been recognized by AAPNA. It has given me even more impetus to continue my path in learning and sharing the path of Ayurveda with others. I have already framed the beautiful award and it serves to remind me of the dedication and focus of study it requires to make Ayurveda a life's journey. Again, I thank you and the Board of AAPNA for the recognition of hard work and look forward to a future of collaboration and united path in spreading the word of the beautiful science of life, Ayurveda.
Sincerely - Stephanie Schneider LAc, MTOM, almost AyD !!!! J American University of Complementary Medicine (AUCM), California, USA
Judges: Shekhar Annambhotla, Pratibha Shah, Zide Mooni