Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) is a registered Public Trust and Charitable Society, which started its activities in 1993 under the guidance of Sam Pitroda and Dr. Anant Darshan Shankar. The Indian Ministry of Science & Technology recognizes FRLHT as a scientific and research organization. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has designated FRLHT as a National Center of Excellence for medicinal plants and traditional knowledge.
The foundation plans to "revitalize Indian medical heritage” through creative applications of traditional health sciences for enhancing the quality of health care in rural and urban India and globally. The stated mission of the foundation is to demonstrate the contemporary relevance of Indian Medical Heritage by designing and implementing innovative programs on a size and scale that will have societal impact.
Contribution to the self-reliance and health security of millions of rural and urban households and communities through green health.
Original contributions to the world of medicine from its rich materia-medica, pharmacy, pharmacology, clinical practice and basic concepts of health and disease.
Conservation of threatened natural resources in use by Indian Systems of Medicine
Generate well trained human resources with knowledge and skills to disseminate the traditional health sciences both in India and globally.
Creation of traditional knowledge inspired enterprises to provide goods and services to the community, that benefit in holistic ways
To engage in fundamental and clinical research that uncovers the theoretical foundations of Ayurveda and promotes Good Clinical Management (GCM)
To engage in high priority, trans-disciplinary research that bridges Ayurveda with biomedicine, life sciences, engineering, pharmaceutics and the social sciences, art & culture and build new paradigms, credible standards, products, processes, technologies and communication strategies.
To design and demonstrate conservation strategies, in order to conserve threatened species and natural resources used by the Indian medical heritage
To restore the age old symbiotic relationships between the community based Prakrit traditions of Ayurveda with its present day institutionalized forms, in order to enhance health security of millions of rural & urban households.
To design and implement innovative, IT aided, educational programs to generate human resources at undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral levels and through a range of short-term courses for folk healers and lay persons
To design and implement strategic outreach programs of creative applications of the traditional health sciences, for widespread dissemination which can impact health security of rural and urban communities
The aim of the foundation is to make full use of India's rich and diverse medical knowledge.
Awards and recognitions
The organization received the Norman Borlaug Award in 1998, Equator Initiative Prize of the United Nations in 2002 and the Columbia University Award from Rosenthal Centre of Columbia University and College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, in 2003. Dr. Anant Darshan Shankar, the Director of the institution was honored by the Government of India in 2011 with the award of Padma Shri.
Conservation of natural resources
Research on traditional knowledge
