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Ayurveda AI challenge launched with IIT Bombay; finals in December

The All India Institute of Ayurveda’s incubator also signed MoUs with the World Ayurveda Foundation and Reliance Retail.

By BDT News Desk

Published 30 Oct 2026, 7:10 AM IST · 1 min read

AIIA-iCAINE Marks Sixth Foundation Day with Launch of National Ayurveda AI Challenge in Collaboration with Techfest, IIT Bombay
AIIA-iCAINE Marks Sixth Foundation Day with Launch of National Ayurveda AI Challenge in Collaboration with Techfest, IIT Bombay Photo: PIB

A national challenge to build artificial intelligence tools for Ayurveda has been launched with IIT Bombay, with its grand finale set for 15 to 18 December 2026.

The challenge, AyushTech Innovate: National Open Ayurveda AI Challenge, was launched on 29 October at the sixth Foundation Day of AIIA-iCAINE, the incubation centre of the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi. It is organised by Techfest, IIT Bombay, with the Ministry of Ayush and AIIA.

What the challenge asks for

Teams will use AyurParam, IIT Bombay's open-source Ayurveda large language model, to build "trustworthy, transparent, safe and practical" AI tools. Areas include clinical practice, searching classical texts, research, treatment planning and public health awareness.

Two agreements

  • With the World Ayurveda Foundation, to set up "AI in Ay", a secretariat for AI in Ayurveda that will support joint research, hackathons and startup incubation.
  • With Reliance Retail (Pahadi Local), to turn classical Ayurvedic formulations into skincare products. Reliance will handle development, testing, manufacturing and marketing.

An intellectual property rights facility for Ayurveda innovators was also launched.

The incubator's record

AIIA Director P. K. Prajapati said the incubator has supported 52 problem statements, mentored more than 100 startup ideas, and given nine startups seed support of ₹3 lakh each.

Photos

Photo: PIB

Photo: PIB

Photo: PIB

Source: official release by the AYUSH, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (29 OCT 2026 7:18PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: AIIA-iCAINE Marks Sixth Foundation Day with Launch of National Ayurveda AI Challenge in Collaboration with Techfest, IIT Bombay.

How we verified this

Verified

Every fact, figure and quotation is taken from the official PIB release (Release ID 2330195) issued by the AYUSH on 29 OCT 2026 7:18PM by PIB Delhi; checked against the source on publication. Story written by BDT from that release; no outside facts added.

Fact-checked by Hemant Sharma on 30 Oct 2026, 7:10 AM IST.

Sources

  1. 1.AIIA-iCAINE Marks Sixth Foundation Day with Launch of National Ayurveda AI Challenge in Collaboration with Techfest, IIT Bombay — Press Information Bureau, Government of India

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