Puri: Smt. Anjana Panda, IAS, Director of AYUSH, Odisha, visited Gopabandhu Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya in Puri amid an ongoing indefinite hunger strike by members of the All Odisha AYUSH Students Association (AOAYUSA). The visit came after 48 hours of continuous fasting by the protesting students, whose agitation has raised serious concerns over student welfare and systemic issues in AYUSH education across the state.
During her interaction with the students, the Director urged them to withdraw the hunger protest and verbally assured them of steps toward post creation and the introduction of a dynamic stipend system. However, students expressed strong dissatisfaction, stating that no written notification, order, or official communication has so far been issued by the Directorate of AYUSH to substantiate these assurances.
The situation took a grave turn as around 22 students were hospitalised due to severe dehydration and health complications arising from prolonged fasting. Medical sources confirmed that several students remain under observation, highlighting the deteriorating condition of the protestors.
Adding to the students’ resentment is the alleged absence of direct communication from the state’s Health and Family Welfare Minister, Mukesh Mahaling. According to student leaders, the minister has not consulted or met any of the hunger-striking students since the protest began, intensifying anger and disappointment among the AYUSH student community.
The indefinite hunger strike revolves around eight key demands put forth by the students. These include immediate recruitment of faculty and staff, creation of government posts, availability of postgraduate and PhD seats, timely and adequate stipends, resolution of medicine shortages in teaching hospitals, and overall improvement in academic and clinical infrastructure of AYUSH institutions in Odisha.
Students reiterated that their protest is not political but driven by long-standing neglect of AYUSH education and healthcare. They cautioned that unless concrete, written commitments are issued by the government, the agitation will continue and may intensify in the coming days.
With students’ health at risk and tempers rising, civil society groups and healthcare advocates have appealed to the state government to intervene urgently and address the demands to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
