FACULTY OF AYURVEDA

The history of medical education in Varanasi, the oldest living city in the world and the cultural capital of India, is at least 2500 years old. It was here that the great Indian Surgeon Sushruta lived and practiced medicine and surgery around the 5th century B.C. and also compiled his treatise, the Sushruta Samhita. In view of this perspective it was but natural that medical education would become one of the priorities of the then developing Banaras Hindu University way back in 1920s. Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, the illustrious founder of Banaras Hindu University, had the vision of integrating the best of Ayurvedic and modern systems of medicine. This basic idea initiated the training of Ayurveda in Banaras Hindu University in 1922 as a department in the Faculty of Oriental Learning and Theology. Soon thereafter, in 1927, a separate Ayurvedic College was started for imparting training in both in Ayurveda and Modern Medical Sciences under the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (Ayurveda) and a six years course Ayurvedacharya with Medicine and Surgery (AMS) was started. In 1959, the undergraduate course in Ayurveda was suspended to provide more emphasis on post-graduate education and research. The Ayurvedic college' was converted into the College of Medical Sciences in 1960 under the leadership of Prof. K. N. Udupa at its helm as founder principal. In 1963 the Post-Graduate Institute of Indian Medicine was established. In 1963 a Postgraduate Institute of Indian Medicine was established as an integral part of the College of Medical Sciences and postgraduate courses in various Ayurvedic specialties were started. Simultaneously, postgraduate medical education was also started in a phased manner in Modern Medicine. In 1971, the College of Medical Sciences was upgraded to the Institute of Medical Sciences. In 1978, the existing Faculty was bifurcated into the Faculty of Ayurveda and Faculty of Medicine. In 1999, the four and half years' duration graduation course in Ayurveda followed by compulsory internship of one year was started, as per the recommendations of Central Council of Indian Medicine, leading to the award of BAMS degree. Six new departments were created in year 2006 making a total of 14 departments and 15 degree giving specialties in the Faculty.

The Faculty of Ayurveda is known for integration of ancient Indian Medical knowledge and modern medical sciences. The integration of Ayurveda and Modern Medicine is a continuous process effected by the interaction, interdisciplinary research, education and patient care between the departments and centers of the institute. The Faculty is situated in proximity to other Faculties such as Humanities, Social Sciences, and institutes of Technology and Agricultural Sciences. This has also greatly helped in the development of collaborative research.

Ayurvedic Pharmacy and Dispensary
To cater the needs of O.P.D. and I.P.D. patients with quality medicines a hospital site pharmacy and dispensary is working at S. S. Hospital.

Medicinal Plant Garden
An independent classical medicinal plants garden having 200 medicinal plant species grown in it is attached with the Department of Dravyaguna. Most of the plants are procured from various parts of our country.

Museums
In the department of Rasa-Shastra a raw drug museum for minerals and metals is separately established. The department of Dravyaguna is having a herbarium and crude drug museum which consists of more than 450 herbarium specimens.

Library
An independent library for undergraduate students and a section of library for post-graduate students and Ph.D. scholars is presently running under the institute. Both the libraries are having all the prescribed course books, various journals, theses and valuable manuscripts.
Hostel
Separate residential accommodations for boys and girls are available in Nagarjun Doctors' Hostel, Sukanya Hostel, Atreya Punarvasu Hostel and K. G. Hostel.

Aims and Objectives

1. To develop a pattern in Ayurvedic education, research and health services with assimilation and synthesis of latest developments in scientific field, for the purpose of education, research and health care.

2. To attain self-sufficiency in post-graduate education (developed on the lines of synthesis of Ayurveda and Modern Medicine) to meet the country's need for highly qualified teachers and researchers in all disciplines.

3. To provide high quality patient care.