|
Most Respected Dr. Abdul Kalam
Saheb, Prof. P.I. Peter, Dr. K.V. Peter, Dr. Brahma Singh,
Members of Research Advisory Board of World Noni Research
Foundation, Honoured Guests, Distinguished Delegates, Media
Persons, Ladies and Gentlemen
Today is the great day for all
of us and especially for me. I feel honoured to preside over
this Third National Symposium on NONI SEARCH-2008 with a theme
“Noni for Nutrition and Health” The focal theme is quite
appropriate and very timely when we are addressing the health
and nutritional security in the country as a quest for making
the country a Developed Nation by 2020, a clarion call given
for the first time by Dr. Abdul Kalam. We have to achieve the
millennium development goal of bringing down the percentage of
people below poverty level to half of existing 34 percent.
Fifty five percent of our women and children are anaemic
resulting in low work output and low purchasing power. The gap
between haves and have-nots is widening leading to social
unrest. Gandhiji mentioned “a poor sees God in bread”-how
true it is even today in the age of advanced science and
technology.
New lifestyle diseases are
emerging consequent to new food habits, sedentary nature of
work, contaminated water intake and above all pollution of
air, water and soil by chemicals, human and animal wastes,
heavy metals from industrial effluents and above all shrinking
space for living and breathing. Clogging of drainage canals,
encroaching public park-lungs of urban and semi-urban populace
and unscientific conversion of agricultural land for
industrial and other purposes have given birth to new diseases
and disorders. The major new life style diseases are diabetes,
obesity, heart ailments, cancer and other disorders. The
rampant migration of people from villages to cities, transport
workers away from home and above all lack of health education
have accelerated incidence of HIV in India. Tuberculosis is
on the rise despite of the slogan to ban tobacco smoking.
The ancient scientific
evidences reveal that the unique plant Morinda citrifolia L.
has great potential as a food supplement, dye and industrial
raw material. Further exploration by World Noni Research
Foundation and Health India Laboratories will open new
vistas. Applications of Noni in pharmaceuticals,
nutraceuticals, cosmoceuticals, natural dye and sustainable
cultivation are quite impressive.
Here is a visionary in Prof. P
I Peter, Chairman, Health India Laboratories, Chennai who has
resurrected an ancient wisdom embedded in a plant like NONI,
and a divine power to heal the injured, to cure the sick and
to counsel the depressed. Noni, a plant belonging to coffee
family, is elaborated in Susruta Samhita and the recent Hortus
Malabarica on its nutritional value and medicinal properties.
Analytical chemistry of noni juice has revealed the presence
of 150+ nutraceuticals including vitamins, minerals,
antioxidants and natural energy providers. Testimonials are
available about the effects of intake of noni juice to manage
diabetes, obesity, skin diseases and even HIV and cancer.
Permit me to make it clear that Noni is not a medicine. It is
only a food supplement. Noni alone is not a panacea for all
diseases. Prof. P I Peter has established a World Wellness
Forum with Dr. Brahma Singh as the President and a World
Wellness Open University with Dr. N. Murugesh as its first
Vice-Chancellor to reach one billion people by 2010 through
message of wellness. Although, it is not a easy task, yet our
people associated with this gigantic venture are determined to
succeed with their sincere and dedicated efforts.
Today a book ALL ABOUT NONI,
authored by Prof. P I Peter, and edited by Dr. K.V. Peter is
being released by our Chief Guest, Dr. Abdul Kalam. It reveals
in nutshell the story of Noni plant from the status of a wild
tree in Polynesia and India to the present form of a
cultivated plant with a lot of desirable properties. More than
200 human friendly health, nutritive and wellness products
based on Noni are now prepared and marketed not only in India
but a few countries outside also.
As regards research on Noni,
although about 40 countries are involved on one or the other
aspect but very little effort has been made so far. Gurudev
Ravindra Nath Tagore once said and I quote “In the morning,
the sun comes out brightly, in the dust the stars hold up
their lights. But these are not sufficient for us. Until we
light our own little lamps, the world of lights in the sky is
in vain and unless we make out own preparation, the wealth of
the world preparation remains waiting like a lute for the
finger touch”.
The World Noni Research
Foundation (WNRF) is committed to multifaced approach in
research for collection, conservation, characterization,
evaluation and documentation of Morinda in totality besides
standardization of cultivation practices for farmers. It will
provide sustainable ecological security for the species and in
addition income and employment opportunities for rural people.
WNRF has also undertaken research on pharmacological and
clinical aspects alongwith validation of testimonials on the
beneficial effects of Noni. WNRF provides financial support
for the projects on noni to conduct research in several
institutes and universities of the country to supplement our
efforts to achieve the mission. The Research Advisory Board
of WNRF consists of Eminent Scientists, Doctors and
Physicians. The year 2009 will witness a spectacular growth in
the activities of WNRF. A most modern laboratory to undertake
research on agricultural, clinical and pharmacological
research is being set up at Perugudi, Chennai besides
establishing a World Class Agricultural Research Station near
Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu.
Before I close, I would like to
express my grateful thanks to Dr. Abdul Kalam Sir for sparing
his valuable time to bless this conference and Noni Family by
his gracious presence on this historical occasion.
Jai Hind
Kirti Singh
|