National Medical Council's Logo With a Hindu God Sparks Controversy

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has recently stirred controversy by modifying its official logo, replacing the word "India" with "Bharat" and incorporating a color image of the god of Ayurveda, Dhanwantari. This move has triggered criticism, with some asserting that the top medical regulator abandoned the Lion Capital, occasionally used as a representative image, and introduced a religious figure to the logo (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
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NMC Defends its Logo with Hindu Deity

NMC, however, defended its decision, stating that the black-and-white sketch of Dhanwantari was already part of its old logo. The officiating chairman of NMC, BN Gangadhar, clarified that the color was added to the image as the black-and-white version was not printable. He emphasized that when NMC was established, it was decided to include Dhanwantari's image in the logo, as he is considered the god of health and healing in India, analogous to Apollo in other countries. While acknowledging the change from "India" to "Bharat," Gangadhar asserted that it reflected the country's official nomenclature change and not a deliberate shift in ideology. Despite these explanations, the modifications continued to spark a row, particularly among a section of medical practitioners who called for a logo driven by "science and rationality."

Critics, including hepatologist Cyriac Abby Philips, raised concerns about the replacement of the Ashoka State Emblem with an image of the Hindu God Dhanvantri, describing it as the embodiment of pseudoscientific Ayurveda. The controversy deepened as the Union health ministry announced the renaming of Ayushman Bharat health and wellness centers to Ayushman Arogya Mandir, accompanied by the tagline "Arogyam Parmam Dhanam."

NMC’s Clarification

In response to the backlash, NMC officials clarified that the logo depicting the Hindu deity Dhanwantari had been in use for over a year, with only the recent change of replacing "India" with "Bharat." Dr. Yogender Malik, a member of the Ethics and Medical Registration Board at NMC, highlighted that the decision to feature Dhanwantari in the logo was made around a year and a half ago, following extensive consultations.

Malik clarified that the previous logo did not incorporate the India emblem and that the change involved adding color to the black-and-white image of Dhanwantari. He emphasized that the criticism was unwarranted, and the only significant alteration was replacing the word "India" with "Bharat."

Despite these explanations, the controversy persists, with the Indian Medical Association's (IMA) Kerala chapter expressing its dissatisfaction with the recent logo change. Dr. Sulphi Noohu, IMA Kerala president, argued for a secular approach to the logo, and in a Facebook post, indicated that the national leadership of IMA would raise a strong protest against the modification, juxtaposing images of the current and previous NMC logos for reference.

References:

1. NMC official website - (https://www.nmc.org.in/)

Source-Medindia