THE CHANGING PERCEPTION OF INDIAN CONSUMERS TOWARDS AYURVEDA AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC: OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIAN MANUFACTURERS

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the reliance of people on Ayurvedic Science has relatively in-creased. This may be due to the limited availability of COVID-19 vaccine(s) in both rural and urban India. Even in territories where adequate vaccine availability is ensured by the government, significant apprehensions related to the efficacy of the vaccine continue to hover in the minds of Indian consumers. This specific pattern of consumer behavior across India encouraged Indian consumers to turn to ayurvedic medicines as an alternative to boost their immunity seek protection from Covid-19. However, the longstanding resistance towards Ayurvedic Medicine in the past due to their lower efficacy and other factors continues to act as a significant obstruction for firms trying to increase their customer base during the pandemic. The present paper interview uses the CEO of leading ayurvedic manufacturers to unravels how firms are ag-aggressively leveraging the power of marketing to reduce the resistance prevalent toward Ayurveda among Indian consumers. Specifically, the paper discusses all the dimensions of the marketing mix and its subsequent role in reducing the resistance to give it a holistic outlook. The paper concludes by high- lighting the implications for Ayurvedic firms who are looking for a complete transformation into vibrant health and medical system.Keywords: Covid-19, Ayurveda, Indian Consumers, Marketing Mix