KOZHIKODE: Eminent ayurvedic physician and managing trustee of Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala (AVS) Dr PK Warrier, who played a key role in popularizing ayurveda across the world and strived to uphold the scientific basis of classical authentic ayurveda treatment, will turn 100 on Tuesday.
But, there won’t be centenary birthday celebrations at Kailasamandiram, his ancestral home, on Tuesday to comply with Covid protocols.
But, activities scheduled as part of ‘Satapoornima’, the centenary birthday celebrations, will continue online.
Warrier, a visionary institution builder, has during his decades-long ayurvedic practice given solace and care to countless patients comprising both heads of state as well as the poor with equal dedication and a compassionate, healing touch.
Among the dignitaries treated by Dr Warrier include former presidents VV Giri, Pranab Mukherjee, former PM AB Vajpayee, former Sri Lankan President Sirimavo Bandaranaike, former Mauritius president Kailash Purryag, Pakistani ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan among others.
More importantly, Warrier played a historical role in invigorating the traditional practices of ayurveda by making significant contributions to research, upgradation and expansion of ayurveda by modernizing its clinical, pharmaceutical, educational and research domains.
The country had honoured him with Padma Bhushan in 2010 for his contributions to ayurveda.
As Warrier turns 100, it could be a rare instance in corporate history as well of one person steering an acclaimed institution – a 119-year-old charitable trust – for over six decades into an internationally-reputed premier institution for treatment, research and medicine manufacturing.
Warrier, born in 1921 in Kottakkal, has had an eventful life.
During his student days he participated in the Quit India movement and was later attracted to the Left movement.
After studying ayurveda at the Aryavaidya Patalasa (now, Vaidyaratnam PS Varier Ayurveda College), he started his career as factory manager of the medicine manufacturing plant of AVS in1947.
He took over the reins of AVS as managing trustee in 1954 following the demise of his elder brother PM Varier in an aircraft crash.
Under his stewardship the name of Kottakkal become synonymous with ayurveda and one of the most-trusted healthcare brands.
AVS, which had an annual turnover of Rs 9 lakh when he took over, has grown and its current turnover is Rs 400 crore.
Under his leadership, AVS has also been concentrating on research and had taken up collaborative research programmes with CSIR for identifying bioactive molecules and improving manufacturing processes.
He personally oversees cancer-related studies at AVS.
Taking into account the crucial importance of medicinal plants in the growth of ayurveda, he set up the Centre of Medicinal Plants Research at Kottakkal.
He also initiated research activities in the fields of drug standardization, drug development and process improvement.
At his instance, AVS also collaborated with major research agencies like CSIR, DST, AYUSH and IIT in joint programmes on rasayana, herbo-metal formulations, bioactive molecules, etc.
Warrier has co-authored the five volume treatise ‘Indian Medicinal Plants – A Compendium of 500 Species’, which is testimony to his dedication to scientific research and documentation.
Now more than 530 classical formulations are manufactured at the two factories of AVS at Kottakkal and Kanjikode and another 37 new-generation formulations are produced at the new factory at Nanjangud in Karnataka.
More than 700 different types of raw herbs are sourced from across the country for producing these medicines.
Warrier has taken care that the institution remains firmly rooted in its charitable nature with a major chunk of the income of AVS going for the charitable hospital that provides free treatment for around 1,500 outpatient patients each day.
“Normally, we used to have a family get-together and feast during his birthdays.
This year, we won’t be holding that to comply with Covid protocols.
We hope that once the threat of the pandemic is over, we will be able to hold a befitting public event for him,” said Dr PM Varier, chief physician and trustee of AVS.