Middle East-settled non-resident Indian industrialist B.R. Shetty Friday announced plans to start an ayurveda medical college at the upcoming Herbal City in Abu Dhabi in the UAE in collaboration with Santhigiri Ashram in Kerala.

Shetty said this while inaugurating a one-day conference on 'Health and Research in The Middle East Asian Countries', organized as part of the Parnasala Dedication Celebrations at Santhigiri Ashram here.

'The healthcare model practiced by Santhigiri is an exemplary one and the people in the Arab countries should also get the benefit of this system. The preliminary talks in this connection with the promoters of the Herbal City has been concluded and the response was a positive one,' said Shetty.

Santhigiri Healthcare Division is running a chain of ayurveda hospitals and panchakarma centres all over India besides two medical colleges, one for ayurveda and the other for siddha in Kerala.

Shetty is the CEO and MD of Abu Dhabi-based New Medical Centre Group of companies.

The company established in 1973 was in the health care sector initially and since then diversified into sectors including pharmaceuticals, financial services, retail, real estate and IT.

Shetty is a Padma Shri awardee.