Spiritual & Wellness Summit 2025: Spiritual leaders, wellness experts, policymakers come together as Madhya Pradesh bets big on Ayurveda, Yoga & sustainable tourism

The historic city of Ujjain emerged as the heart of a transformative dialogue on June 5 as it hosted the Spiritual & Wellness Summit, drawing spiritual leaders, wellness experts, policymakers, and entrepreneurs from across the country. The event marked a significant milestone in Madhya Pradesh’s ambitious push to establish itself as a global centre for holistic health, spiritual tourism and sustainable living.

MP chief minister Mohan Yadav inaugurated the summit and was felicitated by spiritual leader Chidanand Saraswati. In his keynote address, Yadav described Madhya Pradesh as a “land of immense possibility” and reiterated the state’s commitment to supporting real, on-ground impact in wellness, spirituality, and infrastructure. He highlighted major policy initiatives, such as offering subsidised land for medical institutions and encouraging private partnerships to foster a thriving wellness ecosystem.

Drawing on India’s ancient wisdom, the CM referenced Jagadish Chandra Bose to illustrate how traditional knowledge remains foundational to modern wellness.

Earlier in the day, senior officials set the tone for the summit. Principal Secretary Raghwendra Kumar Singh underscored Ujjain’s deep spiritual legacy and natural geography, over one-third of the state is covered in forests, as vital assets for wellness tourism.

Sheo Shekhar Shukla, principal secretary and MD of MP Tourism Board, outlined Madhya Pradesh’s roadmap to becoming a top-tier destination for health and spiritual travel, citing its unmatched heritage sites, forested terrain, and sustainable tourism efforts.

One of the highlights of the summit was the panel discussion on ‘Ideating the Partnership Model’, which brought together government officials, Ayurveda experts, and private wellness entrepreneurs.

Speakers explored how public-private synergies could unlock the state’s potential in traditional medicine, yoga tourism, and holistic infrastructure. Roshan Kumar Singh, collector of Ujjain, spoke on aligning Simhastha 2028 with global wellness goals, envisioning the next Kumbh as a spiritual event with economic and health dividends.

The panel included Mona Walia, VP, Kairali Ayurvedic Group; Mahesh Paryani, president, CREDAI Ujjain, Director of Tirupati Estate, Tirupati Infra & Tirupati Construction, Ujjain Himanshu Rai, Director, IIM Indore; Vijay Thakkar, Author, Fitness Entrepreneur and Celebrity Sports Fitness Coach; Shubham Agnihotri, Co-founder and Vice Chairman, Taiwan India Ayurveda Association (TIAA) and Ashutosh Sinha, ET.

Another key session on ‘Building Wellness Ecosystem & Workforce’ focused on skill development and capacity building, with contributions from experts across academia, fitness, and alternative medicine sectors.

Held on World Environment Day and Ganga Dussehra, the summit celebrated Ujjain not just as a spiritual city, but as a modern wellness capital. As per the state’s vision, Madhya Pradesh is now being positioned as the “cleanest, greenest, and safest” state, ready to champion a new era of conscious and holistic living in India and beyond.

The panel included Mukund Prasad, director, Leisure Hotels; Shahzad Aslam, Swami Chaittanya Hari, founder & director, Yoga Nisarga; Ramesh Varier, MD, AVN Group; Megha KL, lead – strategic projects, Apollo Ayurvaid and the moderator Deepshikha Sikarwar, deputy resident editor-North, The Economic Times