NMC Dhanvantari logo a Matter of Pride: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya defends new logo in parliament

New Delhi: Defending the new Dhanvantari logo of the National Medical Commission (NMC), the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has termed it to be a "matter of pride".

Amid the objections from several doctors against the Commission's decision to place the photo of Dhanvantari, a Hindu deity, in the middle, Minister Mandaviya opined that Lord Dhanvantari is an icon in the medical field for India and everyone should be proud of its heritage and culture.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that dropping the National Emblem, NMC has included the photo of Dhanvantri, who is regarded as an avatar of Lord Vishnu and is mentioned in the Puranas as the God of Ayurveda. Opposing this change, several doctors claimed that this move would harm the scientific and secular nature of the Commission.

The issue was raised by TMC's Santanu Sen through a Zero Hour mention in the Rajya Sabha. He demanded the restoration of the National Medical Commission's previous logo.

Addressing the matter, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said Dhanwantari is a symbol of Indian medical science. ANI reports that defending the change in the NMC's logo, Mansukh Mandaviya in the Parliament said, "Lord Dhanvantari is an icon in the medical field for India and only the picture has been coloured in the logo of NMC. Having the picture of Lord Dhanvantari is not only important for India, but it is a matter of pride and the country should be proud of its heritage and culture."

"(It was) already a part of the (Commission's) logo and just some colour has been added and nothing more," he said. "This is India's heritage. I feel we should feel proud (about it)," added the Minister.

Also Read: NMC changes its logo, stirs controversy

The minister said the logo is designed by taking inspiration from the country's heritage, adds PTI. "This is a symbol of medical science ... someone who had done so much research in medical science. We have used the photo with no other intention," he added.

According to Hindu belief, Lord Dhanvantari is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. His incarnation in the earth's world took place during the churning of the ocean. On Trayodashi, Dhanvantari emerged from the ocean. That is why the incarnation of Lord Dhanvantari is celebrated as Dhanteras, two days before Diwali. He also invented Ayurveda on this day. The doctors who practise Ayurveda call him the god of health. He was the one who discovered nectarous medicines.

The coloured logo, which can be seen on the NMC website, also mentions the term 'Bharat' instead of 'India'. Notably, there has been no official announcement from NMC regarding the change.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the change in the logo was heavily criticised by the Kerala State branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Writing to the NMC Chairman, the association mentioned, "This is to bring to your notice that the recent change in the National Medical Commission Logo is not acceptable to the modern medical fraternity. The new logo gives a wrong message and will harm the scientific and secular nature of the Commission. Members of the profession have already raised their voice against this unacceptable move."

Amid a huge uproar, NMC spokesperson Dr Yogendra Malik came out in defence of the new logo and said that the same logo has been there for the past year.

"The logo earlier has a Greek God of medicine and healthcare in it and the logo that you see in the present has an image of Lord Dhanvantri, which was already there, it has just been coloured. This has been our logo for the past one year," Dr Yogendra Malik told ANI.

Background:

The Medical Council of India (MCI) logo was adopted in 1934 after the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933, was enacted. The law defined medicine as "modern scientific medicine and includes surgery and obstetrics" and the logo used was based on the international symbol for medicine -- the staff of Aesclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing.

The logo also featured a snake wound around the staff. While there has been no official announcement of a change in the Commission's logo, a black and white logo with the depiction of Dhanwantari at the centre reportedly appeared in December 2022. The colourised version appeared a couple of months later. 

Arguments in the Parliament: 

Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, Sen demanded the restoration of the National Medical Commission's previous logo. He said the Indian Medical Council Act of 1956 was repealed in 2020 despite objections from different corners of society and the medical fraternity.

"The National Medical Commission came into force from 25th September 2020, repealing the 64-year-old Indian Medical Council Act, 1956," he added.

Earlier it was termed as "western medicine", then it became "medicine" and finally it was termed as "modern medicine", Sen said and added that the logo of modern medicine is the staff of Aesclepius.

"And there was no need and there was no permissible condition, so far as the National Medical Commission is concerned, that this logo can be changed. But, unfortunately, we have seen in the recent past, I don't know (if it is) because of government instruction or by the National Medical Commission itself, they have changed the logo and they have brought a photograph of Dhanwantari in the logo," Sen said.

The "change of logo was absolutely not needed. It symbolises one particular religion," he added. The National Medical Commission, he said, regulates medical curriculum and sanctions new medical colleges.

"Its function is not to promote any particular religion. Even the Ayush department did not change its logo but the National Medical Commission has," the TMC MP said.

"It is against the basic oath which doctors take after passing MBBS. They take the oath that we will treat each and every patient irrespective of their caste, creed or religion. We are not bound to treat one particular religion," he said.

The change of logo, he said, was against the basic essence of the Indian Constitution which, through Article 25 and 26 after the 42nd Amendment in 1976, states that India is a secular country.

"And we should promote the dovetailing of religion," Sen said and demanded that the National Medical Commission immediately restore the previous logo that did not symbolise any particular religion.

Also Read: IMA clashes with NMC over Dhanwantri Logo