The
Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala celebrated the Founder’s Day on January 16, marking 150th birth
anniversary of its founder P S Varier, with Chief Minister
Pinarayi Vijayan among other dignitaries gracing the occasion.

The
late Vaidyaratnam P S Varier established the Arya Vaidya Sala at Kottakkal in
1902, essentially as a village clinic but it has now grown into multi-unit,
multi-disciplinary and multi-functional organisation, with 26 branch clinics
across the country.

“The
state government is in the process of setting up an International Ayurveda
Research centre as part of our attempts to develop the sector. The aim is to
popularise the traditional healthcare system and make the ayurveda treatment available
to all ,” Vijayan said during his inaugural address.

Ayurveda
was deep-rooted in Kerala from time immemorial and the treatment practices were
handed over from one generation to another. “But then it was P S Varier who
took the initiative to study exotic Ayurvedic treatment practices that
existed then and transformed the same  into a dependable and efficient
system of healthcare,” the chief minister noted.

A
renowned academician-cum-educator, physician and philanthropist, Varier was an
ardent follower of Indian traditions. He set up an Ayurveda Pathasala in 1917,
which later became the Vaidyaratnam PS Varier Ayurveda College, currently affiliated to
the Kerala University of Health Sciences. He,was also instrumental  in
establishing a herbal garden and a Kathakali Academy.

During
the function, Dr P M Varier, Chief Physician, Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, handed over excellence awards to
those students from various Ayurvedic colleges.