New Delhi, Dec 14 (UNI) The Union Ministry of Finance has granted Income Tax exemption to the Kerala-based Santhigiri Ashram for both social and scientific research, entailing the donors to get weighted deduction at the rate of 125 per cent on the amount donated without any ceiling.

Such an exemption under Section 35 (1) (ii) and 35 (1) (iii) of the Income Tax Act is given to institutions engaged in research activities in social sciences and scientific research.

''The IT exemption is a recognition of the Santhigiri Ashram as an organisation for conducting Scientific, Industrial and Social Reserarch,'' Ashram Director Swami Gururethnam Jnana Thapaswi said in a statement here today.

The Ashram, located at Thiruvananthapuram, had been conducting social research (in spirituality) and Industrial research (in medical science) at Santhigiri Social Research and Institute and Santhigiri Scientific and Industrial Research Institute respectively.

The Santhigiri Social Research Institute has facilities for students from India and abroad who are interested in doing research in spirituality in general and ideals of Navajothisree Karunakara Guru, the founder of the Ashram.

''The Guru has rediscovered the concepts practised by the ancient Rishis and has put them into practice through the lives of thousands of devotees,'' the release said.

The Santhigiri Scientific and Industrial Reserach Institute conducts research on Indian systems of medicine-Ayurveda and Siddha.

The Institute is functioning at the ancestral property of former President K R Narayanan at Uzhavoor in Kerala.

UNI