A recognition for promoting ayurveda

KOCHI: The efforts taken in promoting ayurveda brought the national acclaim for P R Krishnakumar with the country selecting him for this year’s coveted Padma shri Award.

Krishnakumar, managing director of The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Coimbatore) Limited, has been in the forefront in promoting clinical and drug research on ayurveda.

Born on September 23, 1951 as son of Arya Vaidyan P V Rama Varier, the founder of Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Krishnakumar had his formal ayurvedic education at a college in Shoranur.

Later, as the head of The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, a premier ayurvedic institution in the country, he involved in the production of quality medicines, promotion of education in ayurveda, research and clinical services.

He was instrumental in taking the flagship company, started in a humble way, to the present status of the second best traditional house in South India.

He also initiated the first-ever clinical research in traditional medicines under the WHO and the ICMR in 1977 to study the efficacy of ayurvedic treatment on rheumatoid arthritis. Apart from implementing a unique educational programme for Ayurveda, Krishnakumar implemented a number of projects on Ayurveda, approved by the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Environment.

In 1982, the Department of Science and Technology recognised the research centre set up by him.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare also recognised the clinical wing of the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, promoted by him, as one of the premier institutions in the country.

He also established an institute by the name AVT Institute for Advanced Research (AVTAR) to conduct clinical, literary, field and drug researches and to train aspiring ayurveda scholars.

Presently, he organises free medical camps in rural areas. He is also the CMD of CARe Keralam (Confederation for Ayurvedic Renaissance –Keralam Pvt Ltd), a special purpose vehicle (SPV) by the ayurvedic medicine manufacturers with the participation of the KSIDC and the KINFRA, set up with the objective of jointly promoting Kerala as a global destination for sourcing ayurvedic products and services of internationally acceptable standards.

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