The guiding personalities

The first ever board of Directors entrusted the responsibility of running the establishment to Ramavarma Appan Thampuran as the Managing Director (later to call as President) and Shri. Padmanabha Iyer as the Secretary.

Subsequently, personalities like Shri. A.V. Govinda Menon, Shri. V.V. Rama Iyer, Shri. P.B. Kurup, Advocate Shri. M.K.. Raja, Dr. K.P.N. Menon and Brahmashri Poomulli Neelakandan Namboodirippad guided Samajam.

Well known personalities like the poet laurate Vallathol, famous Musician Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, Sait Nagji, industrialist Kadarkutti Saheb were among the board of directors. Besides, the former Madras Governor Shri. Prakasam, the former Madras Chief Minister Shri. Kamaraj Nadar, Union Minister Shri. C. Subrahmanyam, former Prime Minister Shri. Gulsarilal Nanda, great freedom fighter and Founder Editor of Mathrubhumi Daily Shri. K.P. Kesava Menon were also members of the Samajam. Today apart from other eminent persons, personalities like the former President of India Shri. K.R. Narayanan and Padmavibhooshan Justice Shri. V.R. Krishna Iyer are associated with this unique institution in Ayurveda.

Today, the Board of Directors of Keraleeya Ayurveda Samajam, a charitable society, is headed by Padmashri. Dr. K. Rajagopalan as its President and Shri. M. Muraleedharan as its Secretary supported by a 9 member board of directors, elected by its members for a 5 year term.

As regards to its professional strength, Samajam has ever been fortunate to have the services of the members of the legendary Ashtavaidya families. It also attracted the presence of learned physicians of exceptional skills. A pioneering step by way of setting up the first ever Chikitsa yogam (panel of physicians) started soon after the inception of Samajam saw the presence of 4 Ashtavaidyas, 4 eminent Ayurvedic physicians and 2 modern medical practitioners.

The first ever panel was chaired by the illustrious physician, Shri. Thriprangod Parameswaran Mooss who was at a time requested by the then Madras Governor to treat the Chief Justice of the British High Court in Bombay, Sir Basil Scott. Shri Mooss was subsequently honored by the British government in India by awarding him the first ever “Vaidya Ratna” in 1911, by Lord Charles Hardinge, the then British Viceroy in India, the honorary title coveted by many in later years.

Ashtavaidya families of Chirattamon, Alathiyoor, Thaikkatt, Pulamanthol and eminent physicians like Vaidyamatom Valiya Narayanan Namboodiri, Thirunavaya Mooss, Kuttancherry Mooss and the like served the Samajam to glory and new heights.

Samajam still have the presence of physicians of singular talents like Ashtavaidyan Alathiyoor Nambi, Ashtavaidyan Thaikkatt E.T. Divakaran Mooss, Vaidya Kalanidhi Prof. K. Sreedharan Nair and Padmashri. Dr. K. Rajagopalan.

As part of its public awareness Campaign especially among the Rural population, Samajam organises Ayurveda Insight Missions. While free check up and medical advice is given and medicines to the deserving, Samajam stresses on the agrarian population to grow more herbs by making them aware of the sustainable, ecological and cultural importance of Ayurveda in the contemporary world and also its vast market potential with herbs and herbal Medicine.