Awards – a selection

and official visits

Dr. Karin Pirc was honoured with the “International Lifetime Achievement Award”. It is the highest award of the Raj Ayu Con organizing committee. For Dr. Karin Pirc, this is her second award from India, the motherland of Ayurveda. In 2006 when she was named “Best Ayurvedic Physician,” she became the first European and first woman to be awarded the prestigious Indian “Global Hakim Ajmal Khan Award”.

Lothar Pirc, owner and CEO of the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre Bad Ems, was honoured at the Raj Ayu Con for his “most valuable and personal contribution for the development of Ayurveda.” As “Key Note Speaker International“ and as the guest of honour, Lothar Pirc gave a 10-minute opening speech and delivered a profound presentation with the title “Enlightenment, the Goal of Yoga and Ayurveda – from Philosophy to Science.”

“BEST AYURVEDA PHYSICIAN 2006”

Prestigious Indian Award goes to Bad Ems

Dr. Karin Pirc, a long-time doctor of Ayurveda, became the first European to be awarded the prestigious Indian “Global Hakim Ajmal Khan Award” for exceptional achievements in the field of Ayurveda on Sept. 6, 2006. Dr. Pirc has been the medical director of the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre Bad Ems since 1992 and has treated more than 20,000 patients from all over the world.

Dr. Aslam Javed, General Secretary of the Hakim Ajmal Khan Memorial Society (HAKMS), New Delhi, expressed his “profound admiration for the knowledge and dedication to Ayurveda” of Dr. Pirc, whose life’s work contributed significantly to the global expansion of Ayurveda. One of the main goals of the HAKMS is the popularisation of Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, which, though marginalized in recent history, has proved its efficacy over centuries. For this, the Society presents its respected prize each year and this year is only the second time it has been awarded to someone outside of India. “Dr. Pirc has long worked for the expansion of Ayurveda in Germany and the world as a whole through Panchakarma, consultations, books and presentations,” said Dr. Javed, “and was therefore selected unanimously by the award committee.” (Transcript of complete speech| pdf)

Confirming this sentiment, Dr. med. Lothar Hahn of the German Society for Ayurveda honoured “the more than twenty years of untiring commitment” by the mother of four children and author of numerous books on the theme of Ayurveda. He was particularly impressed by her countless successes as a result of her full dedication to Ayurveda. The high standing that Ayurveda enjoys in Germany can be directly credited to her and some of her colleagues.

In front of the 150 guests seated in the festively decorated historic Marble Hall of Bad Ems, one of the most beautiful ballrooms of the region, Dr. Pirc received congratulations from India as well as from politicians, colleagues and supporters. Mayor Ottmar Canz emphasised in his opening speech that the Ayurveda Centre in Bad Ems offers “this ancient system of medicine in its full authenticity, under the guidance of experienced doctors”, not a mere ‘light’ or ‘wellness’ version of Ayurveda, and that this has been a valuable enrichment for the spa town. Visitors from around the world and hundreds of media reports have brought greater popularity to Bad Ems, which has long been known for its healing thermal waters.

Greetings from the Mayor Bad Ems

He added that “for many people the Indian system of Ayurveda has become a good alternative for maintaining their good health” and that this can be credited in part to the work of the Ayurveda Health Centre in Bad Ems with its 50 employees. “This development proves,” said patron of the awarding ceremony, District Governor Mr. Günther Kern, “that their work has been fruitful and that Ayurveda is much more than pouring warm oil over the body and giving a massage. Ayurveda is really more of a lifestyle that can contribute to the health of mind and body, if people want that.”

And it seems, by the words of Lothar Pirc, more and more people want just that. Together with his wife he founded the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre in 1993 and has been the managing director since the beginning. However, there are still barriers that make it difficult for people to utilise the medical care of Maharishi Ayurveda. Despite significant and scientifically verified successes, most health insurance companies do not cover these gentle yet effective treatments. He admires his wife even more for her ability “to have an unflagging enthusiasm for Maharishi Ayurveda and to always be completely attentive to every patient.” This has made her very popular with the guests, many of whom became regular visitors of the Health Centre.

Dr. Karin Pirc was moved and delighted when accepting the award and directed her acceptance speech particularly to the staff members. “One person alone can never receive such an award,” she commented, and in true Vedic tradition she honoured Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for his initiative to popularise a scientifically based Ayurveda all over the world, as well as the masters of Ayurveda and the Indian Vaidyas from whom she received such profound knowledge and training.

Highly respected recognition in India

The Hakim Ajmal Khan Memorial Society was founded in 1989 for the promotion of the ancient natural systems of medicine of India. Special focus is put on the systems of Ayurveda, the Unani Medicine and Homeopathy. In these areas the society bestows a highly respected recognition for outstanding achievement. In 2003 the award was presented by the then President of India Sharma and last year by the Indian Minister for Health. The award commission, which is composed exclusively of esteemed experts of Ayurveda and Unani under the chairmanship of Prof. M.S. Usmani, thereby places Dr. Pirc on equal footing with renowned experts of Ayurveda in India.

Outstanding Achievement in Ayurveda

In 1985 Dr. Karin Pirc founded the first Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre in Schledehausen, Germany, and was its medical director until 1992. In 1993 together with her husband, she opened the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre at Bad Ems, where under her medical guidance the full array of Maharishi Ayurveda treatments is being offered very successfully.

Profound knowledge and extensive experience gained from 20,000 patients that have come for Ayurvedic treatments make Dr. Karin Pirc one of the outstanding experts of Ayurveda in the Western world. Dr. Pirc received her Doctorate in Psychology in 1984 and her physician certificate in 1983. She received additional training in Maharishi Ayurveda from some of the most respected doctors of Ayurveda in India, and leads seminars and training courses for medical doctors in Maharishi Ayurveda. Dr. Pirc was born in 1951 in Hamburg. She is the successful author of several books about Maharishi Ayurveda and also co-author of a few more, some of which are highly regarded even in India.

AWARDED: WELLNESS AT THE HEALTH RESORT

Several programs of the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre Bad Ems were honoured with the prestigious seal of quality “Wellness at the Health Resort” by the German Health Spa Association (Deutschen Heilbäderverband e. V.), the umbrella organization of the approximately 350 German health resorts. The registered trademark is only granted to selective offerings in the wellness and health tourism industry, which guarantees the highest quality of services.

Part of the recommended services are the 10-day Panchakarma program as well as the two- or three-day introductory programmes of the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre Bad Ems that are advertised by the city and tourism marketing association Bad Ems (Stadt- und Touristikmarketing Bad Ems e. V.).

It’s the understanding of the German Health Spa Association that “Wellness” stands for a holistic offering of health in which medicine and therapy, nature and culture, activity and relaxation, as well as communication and experience, coexist equally. Through the seal of quality the guest can be assured that the all-inclusive offer meets this requirement. It not only makes it easier to find such outstanding wellness offerings by distinguishing them from everything that’s generally available in the marketplace, but it also provides an indication for the guest to expect only the best quality.

At the Maharishi AyurVeda Private Health Centre, quality is emphasized at all levels: in dealing with employees, in the customer service and in the work atmosphere. For this, the Maharishi AyurVeda Private Health Centre, Bad Ems, was awarded the Q certification by “Service Quality Germany” on Wednesday, June 13, 2018, by the Rhineland-Palatinate Minister of Economics, Dr. Volker Wissing.

It is the goal of “Service Quality Germany” to systematically improve service at hotels and other service providers in the country. The initiative is funded by the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Economic Affairs and is housed at Rheinland-Pfalz Tourismus GmbH.
The Maharishi AyurVeda Private Clinic Bad Ems is one of over 400 tourist-serving companies in Rhineland-Palatinate which have decided on a continuous improvement process through Service Quality Germany’s Q certification.
Lothar Pirc and the in-house Q-coaches will be responsible for improving critical service points, involving employees and continuously promoting their service-oriented attitude. Internalizing the commitment to service not only inspires guests and customers, but also motivates employees.

The Maharishi AyurVeda Private Health Centre, Bad Ems was distinguished as a Level 1 Quality Establishment of the “Service Quality Germany” initiative on June 13, 2018 in the Electoral Palace in Mainz.
The certificate was presented by the Rhineland-Palatinate Minister of Economic Affairs, Dr. Volker Wissing.

HIGH HONORS FOR THE MAHARISHI AYURVEDA HEALTH CENTRE BAD EMS

For the first time in its history, the recognised Russian humanitarian foundation “Patrons of the Century” gave their highest award to Germany. The Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre Bad Ems was awarded for an “excellent contribution to the revival and blossoming of peace, for greatness of mind and altruistic magnanimity”. In addition, managing director Lothar Pirc as well as medical director Dr. Karin Pirc were honoured individually with gold and silver medals.
Big celebrations for the award ceremony

The award ceremony took place on February 2, 2006 in the Academy of Science in Moscow. About 600 representatives from politics, science, art and culture from more than 20 countries celebrated the state occasion. On March 21, 2006 the representatives of the city of Bad Ems gathered at the “Künstlerschloss Balmoral” (artists’ residence castle Balmoral) to congratulate the Pirc couple and their Ayurveda facility.

In the presence of about 35 invited guests – among them Alexander G. Stankevizh, Consul of the Russian Federation in Bonn, Josef Winkler, MdB, as well as mayor of rural districts Josef Oster – the mayor of the city of Bad Ems, Ottmar Canz, recognised the achievements of the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre in Bad Ems. The Ayurveda Centre strengthens the reputation of the long-standing spa tradition of Bad Ems. It further strengthens the international appreciation of the centuries-old tradition for the restoration of good health at the heart of Bad Ems.

Interviews with Lothar Pirc and Dr. Karin Pirc have been broadcasted live in many of the Russian regions.

The Russian charitable foundation “Patrons of the Century” gives their highest award for the first time in its history to Germany.

INDIAN “GLOBAL AWARD” GOES TO BAD EMS

On November 2, 2007, Lothar Pirc, managing director of the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre Bad Ems, received the “Global Hakim Ajmal Khan Award 2007” in the Indian capital of New Delhi.

During the grand celebration with 250 invited guests in the ballroom of the Ministry of State, Smt. Sheila Dixit, Prime Minister of the Indian State Delhi, presented the award to the representative from the health resort on the Lahn River in Rhineland-Palatinate. Lothar Pirc is the co-founder and CEO of the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre Bad Ems, specializing in Indian Ayurveda medicine.

After the introduction from Dr. Aslam Javed, Secretary General of the Indian Hakim Ajmal Khan Memorial Society (HAKMS), the decision for the award 2007 in the category “Organizational & Social Vedic Services“ was made in recognition of the efforts and services in research, application and distribution of Vedic Sciences in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Russia.

The award committee particularly emphasized the dedicated contribution of Lothar Pirc during the past 30 years in the area of preventative health care through Ayurveda, mental health through the Transcendental Meditation programme, and his efforts to create world peace through the Vedic approaches.

The celebration pamphlet recognised the award recipient’s dedication with a comprehensive article entitled “Ancient Vedic Science as a Solution for Problems of Modern Society.” (PDF).

For several days following the celebration, which was attended by members of the press, Lothar Pirc conducted a program for the exchange of knowledge and experience. This included a lecture to the medical students of the Hakim Ajmal Khan Tibia College. Together with several Indian Ayurveda doctors, he had various discussions with the Health Minister of Delhi, as well as with representatives and authorities, to further deepen the collaboration of the German and Indian Ayurveda institutions. He also visited health facilities and hospitals that practice Ayurveda or modern medicine.

Promotion of Ancient Systems of Medicine

The Hakim Ajmal Khan Memorial Society (HAKMS) was founded in 1989 to promote India’s ancient and natural systems of medicine. Particular attention is given to the systems of Ayurveda, Unani medicine and homeopathy. Each year, the Society gives many prestigious awards for outstanding achievements in these areas. Last year Dr. Karin Pirc, co-founder and medical director of the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre in Bad Ems, was awarded “Best Ayurveda Doctor 2006” from the HAKMS. The award commission, chaired by Prof. M.S. Usmani, comprises only well-respected experts in Ayurveda and Unani.

In service of Vedic medicine

Born in 1955, Lothar Pirc has two children and founded the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre Bad Ems in 1992. He is the managing director of the state-recognised private clinic, advises new Ayurveda centres, and frequently serves as a speaker at international conferences and symposia. After seven years of studying at Maharishi Vedic University in The Netherlands, with special emphasis on Maharishi Ayurveda and the principles of Vedic Management, he participated in designing and producing new programmes for personal and corporate development, combining modern management skills with Vedic wisdom. Lothar Pirc and his Centre have received many highly regarded awards.