Legendary Ayurvedic physician Dr Panniampilli Krishnankutty Warrier, popularly known as Dr PK Warrier, is no more. He breathed his last on Saturday noon at his residence in Kottakkal.
Warrier took Ayurveda system of medicine to the global arena. He was the managing trustee of Kottakkal Aryavaidya Sala, a position he was holding for the last six decades.
The All India Ayurvedic Conference, the apex body of the country’s Ayurvedic physicians, had honoured him with the title Ayurveda Maharshi. The President of India bestowed on him with the country’s top civilian honours Padma Shree and Padma Bhushan in 1999 and 2010 respectively.
On June 8, the great Ayurvedic scholar celebrated his 100th birth anniversary.
His wife Madhavikutty Warassyar, a poetess of repute, had predeceased him. He is survived by his son K Balachandran Warrier and daughter Subhadra Ramachandran.
Kottakkal, a remote and under developed rural area in Malappuram district of Kerala, has become a hub of Ayurveda and arts thanks to the initiatives of Warrier, one of the founder patrons of the Communist Party of India.
Though engineering and mathematics were his passions, Warrier ended up as a student of Ayurveda. Vaidya Rathnam PS Warrier, his maternal uncle was his “guru” and guardian. He joined PS Warrier Ayurvcda College as a student and since then the branch of medicine was his life and mission.Political, social and cultural Kerala expressed sorrow and sadness over the demise of Warrier.
President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the passing away of Warrier.
“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,” the Prime Minister said in his message.
“In the demise of PK Warrier, Ayurveda has lost one of its greatest modern proponents. Honoured with Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, he exemplified the efficacy of Ayurveda through his active life spanning 100 years. Condolences to his family, admirers and associates,” the President said in his message.