24th Karl Khandalavala Memorial Lecture – Tabiyat: Medicine and Healing in India

By Dr Farokh E. Udwadia

About the lecture:

Ayurveda (Veda – knowledge, Ayur – longevity – knowledge of longevity) was the traditional system of Medicine and Healing in ancient India and remarkably, continues to be practised today. The lecture will also briefly touch upon other systems of medicine. The twin pillars of Ayurveda are the Caraka Samhita, attributed to the great physician Caraka, and the Susruta Samhita by the great surgeon Susruta. The lecture discusses the beginning of Ayurveda, its philosophy, tenets and pharmacopeia. The holistic nature of Ayurveda is contrasted with the Cartesian, reductionist, compartmentalized nature of Western medicine. Ayurveda stagnated after the 15th century CE and therefore lagged behind the stupendous advances in science, medicine, technology of Western medicine (now termed Biomedicine). Consequentially Ayurveda has no answer to the life- threatening diseases afflicting Man. Ayurveda needs to change to remain relevant; importantly modern medicine also needs to reconsider itself. Finally, successful treatment of disease is not the sole arbiter of good health. Prevention of disease is even more important.

About the speaker:

Dr. Farokh Erach Udwadia, MD, Senior Medical Adviser at India’s pioneering Breach Candy Hospital, alumnus and double rank-holder of the University of Bombay, who was awarded its Prince of Wales and Dr. CS Patel gold medals. He was, aged 38 in 1969, the youngest Indian elected a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh. Concomitantly he is also a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London (1998) and the American College of Physicians (2000). The latter also conferred him a master fellowship and he was one of only twelve appointees at that time. Acclamation at home has been just as forthcoming: he received the Padma Bhushan from the President of India, 1987; medal and oration at the Critical Care Society of India’s maiden meeting, 1995; ‘Eminent Medical Teacher’, Dr. BC Roy National Award, 2000; honorary D.Sc. Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 2004. Dr. Udwadia has authored over 60 scientific papers and 6 books, including the standard universal reference texts, Tetanus (1994): Man and Medicine a history (2000): The Forgotten Art of Healing and Other Essays (2009); Principles of Respiratory Medicine (2010); Principles of Critical Care (2014); and Tabiyat Medicine and Healing in India and Other Essays (2018). He has also published The Rise, Decline and Fall of the Achaemenid Empire (2019).