Contemporary Ayurveda (A Biography)

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‘Contemporary Ayurveda’ is the outcome of the 4 decade long journey of a legendary Ayurvedic physician, academician and researcher Prof RH Singh reflected through his writings published and presented at various global forums. This work is appropriately supplemented with many new age thought leaders of Ayurveda speaking on various issues of contemporary relevance including Reverse Pharmacology, Rheumatology, Rasayana, Immunology and much more. The book echoes the voice of many pioneering efforts enacted in past few decades which had eventually given Ayurveda a shape and recognition in the scientific parlance as is seen now. The book can serve as a valuable resource for all those who wish to imbibe deeply into the process rather than product. This book gives us a feel of how the dictums in Ayurveda are evolved, refined and shaped over a long span of time.

Prof (Dr) Sanjeev Rastogi is a new age Ayurveda propounder having his studies from Lucknow and Banaras Hindu University in India. Dr Rastogi has a rich experience of working with variety of, responsibilities like patient care, academics, research and administration. He had worked as Director, Rashtreeya Ayurveda Vidhyapith, an autonomous organization under the Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India. Currently he is working as Professor, Dept of Kaya Chikitsa, State Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Lucknow. Dr Rastogi is widely known for his exploration of the science of Ayurveda to a global reach. He is a prolific writer having over 100 research publications, 18 chapters and 10 books to his credit. He is recipient of Chinese Govt. fellowship 1998, Luisa Kreisberg Family Foundation Scholarship 2008, Consumer Wellness Center, Arizona, Nutritional Grant Award 2008 and 2009, Robert Bosch foundation award in 2010 and IASTAM excellence award 2018.

He is on editorial boards of many national and international journals related to Ayurveda and CAM and is senior editor to ‘Annals of Ayurvedic Medicine’ a peer reviewed quarterly journal by Association of Ayurvedic Physicians of India (AAPI). He has recently been conferred as honorary advisor to Central Council of Tibetan Medicine by His Holiness Dalai Lama.

Ayurveda, as a comprehensive source of oriental life and health care knowledge kept on flowing through millennia. During its long historical journey, it passed through repeated phases of dark and light but could retained its ultimate momentum of moving upwardly. Its pro-nature principles made it unique among all prevailing health care systems for it being highly nature friendly. Ayurveda talks aloud about the eco conservation and hence abandons the exploitation of nature for any personal gains. Its pro nature feature further incorporates its application on the basis of adaptability of its modalities in the population having biological distinctions, relating to prakriti as is conceived in Ayurveda. Its holism also makes it distinctly distinguishable among all kind of health care systems. Holism in Ayurveda considers the universe, the globe, the society and finally the individual as a unitary whole at one point but in an essential dynamic exchange with the surroundings, between the smaller and the bigger or the microcosm and the macrocosm. Ayurvedic holism therefore is a metaphoric expression of a dynamic and mutually affecting interrelationship between all comprising a system. This concept beautifully gives a space for individual deeds for its ability to modify the surrounding by enriching the same with pro health vibrations. Ayurveda moves little ahead of current thinking of enabling the people to ‘take the charge of their own health’ by extending it to make them ‘in-charge of their environment’ also for ultimate health benefits.

Ayurveda, as is being enjoyed now in independent India is the fruit of endless efforts and pain taken by the contemporary leaders of Ayurveda. Pt. Shiva Sharma, Pt. Satya Narayan Shastri , Vd. Yadav Ji Tikram Ji Acahrya, Vd. Gobardhan Das Changani, Vd. C.P. Shukla , Vd. Brihaspati Dev Triguna, Vd. Ranjit Rai Desai and many more from the Ayurveda and also K.N. Udupa, Ranjit Roy Chaudhari, G.V. Satyavati, M.S. Valiathan, R.A. Mashelkar, B.M. Hegde, Ashok D.B. Vaidya and others of the creed from contemporary science are among a few pioneers who took the responsibility to sail the Ayurveda back to deep water after it was stranded high and dry during the colonial rule in India. The limitations of contemporary practice of ayurveda were duly recognized by these thought leaders and hence it was tried hard to reshape the Ayurveda in tune to the contemporary scientific medicine. Much progress of ayurveda made on these lines was actually the outcome of such revolutionary thoughts and efforts.

Prof. Ram Harsh Singh matches largely to this legacy of contemporary thought leaders of Ayurveda and of modern science and distinctly emerges out as a perfect blend of classical Ayurveda presenting in tune to modern science. This blending, eventually also reflects the very basic thought ideology of Banaras Hindu University stressing on the preservation of values along with the adoption of advances. Prof. Ram Harsh Singh clearly embodies this ideology, when it comes to the contemporary Ayurveda.

Prof. Singh, in past over four decades of his active role in ayurveda has contributed so much towards its growth and development that this was essential to recollect all that what he has done so far in a single volume to make everyone able to see and understand his journey of thoughts. He has contributed in almost every single field having a relevance to Ayurveda in relation to either of the national health care needs or of Ayurveda referring to the need of reshaping it to the contemporary science requirements.

It was therefore highly exciting to think of presenting a compilation based upon the life time contributions of a thought leader for its ability to present transparently the path chosen by him to bridge the gaps between present and future of the science of his belonging. It is in this spirit, we may see this collection of works of Prof. Ram Harsh Singh as an account of the process of his emergence as a self motivated reformer of Ayurveda for over four decades. This account not only picturises before us, the process of evolution of a leader in Ayurveda but also presents an inspiring and motivating account of his ascend from a humble rural background to the highest academic positions like vice chancellor of an Ayurveda university.

Prof. Singh's works are still relevant and we find them still much valuable to everyone having a little inclination towards the better understanding of Ayurveda. This work ‘Contemporary Ayurveda : A Biography’ therefore 1s expected to be liked by everyone who wish to get inspired by looking at the chronicle of the journey taken up by such a great crusader of Ayurveda belonging to our own time.