Head of cow panel Vallabh Kathiria nominated as AIIMS Rajkot President

The government has nominated Vallabh Kathiriya, chairman of Rashtriya Kamadhenu Ayog and former minister of state, as president of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rajkot.

Kathiriya, an oncologist surgeon by training, was minister of state for health and family welfare in the NDA government in 1999.

He told ET that while the out-patient department (OPD) is already operational at Rajkot AIIMS, a full-fledged, 500-bed multi-speciality hospital will be functional by the year-end.


“As the president of AIIMS, I shall have to deal with the policies, administration and research projects. However, my involvement with the NGOs relating to cow welfare continues...,” he said.

Kathiriya, a strong votary of “cow science”, said, “With this appointment, the research in cow science will get a boost as state-of-the-art facilities will be available for research on products like panchagavya and other cow products. We shall also collaborate with the NGOs like Kamadhenu University and Gau Vigyan Anusandhan Kendra, etc., which are doing a good job but not getting enough exposure. Also, I shall be able to raise the subject during the meetings of the presidents of all other AIIMS.”

He said AIIMS will be collaborating with the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) to carry out research not only on cow science but on all other aspects of Ayush, which have their own scientific basis.

During one of the Covid-19 waves in the country, Kathiriya had claimed that cow urine would be helpful in fighting the Covid-19 virus. “Apart from improving digestion, goumutra strengthens the lymphocytes and is rich in antioxidants.” “Use of cow urine kills bacteria and would definitely be helpful in fighting the coronavirus,” he had told ET.

In the early phase of the pandemic, sale of cow urine in Gujarat had increased to 6,000 litres a day. Apart from fresh cow urine, demand had also risen for cow urine ark (concentration), which is used for both gargling and drinking.

Kathiriya was appointed as president of Gujarat Gau Seva Ayog and subsequently made the chairman of Rashtriya Kamadhenu Ayog.