An Overdue Victory For Sowa Rigpa Practitioners

Sowa Rigpa, a health system rooted in ancient Buddhist tradition, has finally found its place in Nepal’s national health system. Its formal recognition by regulatory bodies is expected to support the continuation, preservation, and promotion of this rich tradition of indigenous healing. 

Over the years, several Sowa Rigpa clinics have been opened in Humla and other mountain districts of Nepal. These clinics not only preserve the centuries-old Tibetan traditional medicine but also aims to integrate indigenous knowledge into the public health system, local environment, and cultural life in the Himalayan regions.

Sowa Rigpa, often referred to as ‘the knowledge of healing’, is based on the connection between body, mind, and soul. This method of treatment has been practiced for centuries across the Himalayan region of Nepal, as well as the Tibetan Plateau, Mongolia, northern India, and Bhutan. In many high mountain areas, it remains the primary form of healthcare, especially where access to modern medical services is limited.

Ancient tradition 

For a long time, practitioners of this ancient tradition have grappled with uncertainty over whether their contributions would ever receive formal recognition and official status from the government. Sowa Rigpa practitioners, known as Amchi or Himalayan doctors, were left without a clear policy for recognition. Policymakers in Kathmandu showed little interest in integrating the practice into the broader system of traditional medicine. For years, Sowa Rigpa practitioners treated people in their communities with care and dedication, despite having no official recognition. They relied on natural medicines, guidance, and deep knowledge of local healing plants in their clinics.

Although Sowa Rigpa remains one of the oldest, living, and well-documented systems of traditional medicine in the world, it was often viewed as a subset of Ayurveda, without any official status of its own. Because of this, many indigenous communities and marginalized groups who followed the tradition were left out of the formal healthcare records. Sowa Rigpa practitioners who have taken the licensing examination will be officially listed by the government. It is now the role of the government to maintain the record of many Amchi practitioners who have acquired their knowledge of Sowa Rigpa through hands-on experience passed down from generations rather than formal education. Despite lacking academic credentials, they possess deep, practical expertise in the field.

They constantly faced fear and uncertainty regarding their legal status, respect, and professional identity. Without legal recognition, they were unable to register as health workers or access employment and training opportunities within government health programmes.

In many mountain parts of the country, where modern medical infrastructure is limited, Sowa Rigpa has remained a lifeline. After decades of demands, lobbying, and community advocacy, a historic step has finally been taken by the government toward formal recognition of the practice. In March 2025, the government of Nepal officially recognized Sowa Rigpa as part of the national healthcare and education systems. This decision granted legal status to Amchi practitioners as it opened pathways for professional licensing and integrated Sowa Rigpa into Nepal’s formal medical education system.

In this context, the recognition marks a commendable milestone. It acknowledges the contributions of traditional healing to public health, cultural preservation, and ecological sustainability, especially in rural and indigenous communities. For the many individuals and organizations that worked tirelessly to promote and protect Sowa Rigpa, the decision represents a long-awaited victory. For many of them, the practice is not only a form of healthcare but also an expression of local identity, belief systems, and environmental knowledge.

Progress is also being made on practical fronts. Following the decision, the Nepal Health Professional Council (NHPC), the national regulatory body for health professions, has begun registering and licensing Sowa Rigpa practitioners. This development follows the Medical Education Commission's official approval of a Sowa Rigpa curriculum, paving the way for formal training and qualifications.

Long-standing dilemma 

These efforts help resolve the long-standing dilemma surrounding the legitimacy of Sowa Rigpa graduates. For years, individuals who had studied and practiced this discipline had no pathway to gain formal recognition within Nepal’s healthcare system. 

This left them professionally vulnerable and excluded from public support and resources. The importance of this move goes beyond licensing and regulation as it represents a cultural and political acknowledgment of ancient Buddhist knowledge systems that have long existed on the margins of official policy.

The recognition brings renewed dignity and visibility to the Sowa Rigpa practitioners that serve Nepal’s high-altitude districts. It offers them new opportunities for education, employment, and research, and helps bridge the gap between traditional and modern healthcare. It is meaningful that ancient Buddhist medicine system is now being preserved in Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha. Further, it also helps make sure this old traditional practice from Tibet and the Himalayan region of Nepal stays alive and is passed on to future generations.

(Pragya Lamsal is the Knowledge Sharing Manager at Adara Development.)