Scientific leadership of ICAR-DMAPR strengthens Rajasthan’s premium medicinal crop and reinforces India’s global Ayurvedic identity
Under the guidance and support from Indian Council of Agricultural Research in a landmark achievement for India’s medicinal plant sector, Nagori Ashwagandha, cultivated in Rajasthan’s Nagaur region, has secured the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag (GI no.1143), reaffirming its exceptional quality, therapeutic value, and distinct geographical identity. The central and western regions of Rajasthan, particularly Nagaur, Churu, and Bikaner, possess unique arid to semi-arid agro-climatic conditions and favourable soil characteristics that produce premium-quality Nagori Ashwagandha with long, thick, brittle, cavity-free roots, highly valued in the herbal industry.
The global significance of this achievement was highlighted when Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi presented GI-tagged Nagori Ashwagandha as a traditional Indian gift during the G7 Summit in France, symbolizing India’s rich Ayurvedic heritage and traditional knowledge systems.
The GI registration was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Department of Agriculture, Government of Rajasthan, the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), and the Nagori Welfare Society. Among these contributors, ICAR-Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research, Anand, emerged as a key scientific institution by providing critical technical evidence and research-based validation essential for securing the GI tag.
As Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is one of the mandate crops of ICAR-DMAPR, the Directorate has remained at the forefront of research on characterization, quality assessment, and value addition of this important medicinal plant.
Scientists of ICAR-DMAPR played a decisive role in establishing the uniqueness of Nagori Ashwagandha by generating scientific evidence on its Ayurvedic importance, phytochemical profile, therapeutic efficacy, and chemical quality parameters.
Research conducted by ICAR-DMAPR highlighted the superior medicinal quality of Nagori Ashwagandha, particularly its richness in bioactive compounds such as starch, withanolides and alkaloids, which are associated with enhanced vitality, immunity, stress management, and overall health promotion.
Dr Manish Das, Director, ICAR-DMAPR, stated, “The GI recognition of Nagori Ashwagandha is a proud milestone for India’s medicinal plant sector. ICAR-DMAPR’s scientific contribution in validating the uniqueness of this crop will help preserve traditional knowledge, improve farmers’ income, and strengthen India’s global leadership in herbal healthcare.”
This achievement represents an exemplary convergence of traditional knowledge, scientific excellence, institutional collaboration, and farmer participation. The pivotal contribution of ICAR-DMAPR under the guidance of ICAR in this success further strengthens its position as India’s leading research institution for medicinal and aromatic plants and reaffirms its commitment to advancing the nation’s herbal economy.
(ICAR-Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research, Anand, Gujarat)
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