I first became involved in exploring local health traditions in India as part of my work on immunisations as advisor to Rajiv Gandhi in the late 1980s. At the time, we were researching and investigating alternative forms of medicine and their potential for immunising India's masses against disease.

It was in this context that I first met Darshan Shankar, who embodied a wealth of knowledge regarding India's rich medical history and traditions. Together, we set up the Foundation for the Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, with the goal of reviving alternative and traditional medical practices as a way of providing health care. The Foundation promotes the concept of Indian self-reliance in primary health care, and opens the door for unique contributions from India to the larger medical world. My involvement in the Foundation has been extensive and is an ongoing learning experience.

Traditional medicine has vast potential in today's technologically advanced and fast-paced society. In the most advanced nations, the general public no longer believes that any ‘single’ medical system can solve all their health needs. There is a growing acceptance that medical pluralism, based on ‘best health practices and theory’, holds the key to the future of health care. This trend is reflected in the rapid growth of what is termed in the West as the ‘Complementary and Alternative Health Movement’.