Dr PK Warrier, flagbearer of Kottakkal Ayurveda lived for a century and died peacefully

Panniyampilly Krishnankutty Warrier, popularly known as Dr PK Warrier, who took Ayurveda to the world, played a pivotal role in popularising Kerala’s traditional mode of treatment, passed away on Saturday.
He took his last breath at  Kailasa Mandiram, the headquarters of the Arya Vaidya Sala at Kottakkal in Malappuram, after celebrating his 100th birthday held on June 8.

Dr PK Warrier had dedicated his life to popularizing Ayurveda across the world and played a key role in enhancing the scientific basis of classical Ayurveda treatment. He was the chief physician and Managing Trustee of Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier’s Aryavaidya Sala known as Kottakkal Aryavaidya Sala, one of the leading Ayurvedic healthcare chains in the country since 1954. He was considered as a synonym for Ayurveda in modern times with his immense contributions in making the practice accessible to the common masses and augmenting research in drug standardisation and development.

Dr Warrier treated a large number of  VVIPs including presidents and prime ministers of many countries during his seven-decade-long service which includes former presidents VV Giri, Pranab Mukherjee, former PM AB Vajpayee, former Sri Lankan President Sirimavo Bandaranaike, former Mauritius president Kailash Purryag and Pakistani ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan.

The whole nation grief’s his loss as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his last respect to the legend.
In a tweet, he said, “Saddened by the passing away of Dr. PK Warrier. His contributions to popularise Ayurveda will always be remembered. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti.”

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said Warrier was committed to the scientific pursuit of Ayurveda and will be remembered for “matchless contribution” to the modernisation of Ayurveda.

Born in 1921 in Kottakkal he was a freedom fighter known to have been instrumental in modernising the packaging of Ayurveda medicines. He lived a very eventful life, he had even participated in the Quit India movement as a student. At PS Varier Ayurveda College, he started his career as factory manager of the medicine manufacturing plant of AVS in 1947. After his elder brother PM Varie’s demise, he took over the reins of AVS as managing trustee in 1954. Currently, more than 530 classical formulations are manufactured at the two factories of AVS at Kottakkal and Kanjikode, for which more than 700 different types of raw herbs are sourced from all across the country for producing these medicines.

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Dr PV Warrier contributed to the research, upgradation and expansion of Ayurveda. He was also a writer who co-authored the five volume treatise ‘Indian Medicinal Plants – A Compendium of 500 Species’, which is testimony to his dedication to scientific research and documentation. In 2015, a rare plant, seen 1500 ft above sea level and flowers from November to March, was named in honour of Dr Warrier. The Gymnostachyum Warrieranum’s speciality is its yellow and blue coloured flowers and it can reach up to 70 cms. He also won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award for biography and autobiography in 2008 for his book ‘Smriti Parvam’. The nation had honoured Warrier for his contributions made to Ayurveda by conferring Padma Shri in 1999 and Padma Bhushan in 2010. Dr PK Warrier lived for a century, he played a pivot role in the renaissance, modernisation of India and thus, he will always be an integral part of the nation, he took India to the world and gave global recognition and respect, heroes never die, he will always be remembered.