The Arya Vaidya Patsala was established in 1917 at Calicut under the auspices of the Late Vaidyaratnam P. S. Varier, the founder of the Arya Vaidya Sala, aimed at streamlining Ayurveda education and research. The launch of this endeavor was an initiative of his efforts to organize the mostly ad hoc Ayurvedic educational system that had functioned unsystematically during the period. The Arya Vaidya Samajam, a registered society, paved the way for a shift in Kerala Ayurvedic educational system, by imparting medical education to the general public. Further, with an intent to provide hands-on training for the students at the Arya Vaidya Sala Charitable Hospital, the Patsala was relocated to Kottakkal in 1924. Later on, the program that began as ‘Arya Vaidyan’ eventually got reformed into a diploma program (DAM) approved by the state government in 1956. Eventually, the ‘AryavaidyaPatsala’ became an Ayurveda College in 1959 and further in 1972, the DAM was reformed to Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine (B.A.M.). In 1979 the institute got affiliated to the University of Calicut by which the B.A.M. course was upgraded to Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery (B.A.M.S.).
The institution, which is currently affiliated with the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS)has full-fledged academic facilities including 14 specialty departments, with internationally renowned academicians and doctors. In addition to the undergraduate course of BAMS, the college also offers seven postgraduate programs in Ayurveda including Panchakarma, Agadatantra evum Vidhivaidyaka (Ayurvedic Forensic Medicine and Toxicology), Swasthavritta (Ayurvedic Social and Preventive Medicine), Dravyagunavijnana (Ayurvedic Pharmacology), Manovijnana evum Manasa Roga (Ayurvedic Psychology & Psychiatry), Ayurveda Samhitaevum Siddhanta (Basic principles of Ayurveda) and Shalyatantra (Ayurvedic surgery), as well as four Diploma courses in Dravyaguna, ManasikSwasthya Vigyan, Panchakarma, Swasthavritta and Yoga.
By bringing forth revolutionary changes in the educational landscape, Vaidyaratnam P S Varier Ayurveda College with its 106 years of legacy, is still expanding as a highly respected institution of international acclaim. It embodies the vision of great founder P. S. Varier for how future scholars, researchers, and practitioners can develop a deeper understanding of Ayurveda to advance the basis of principles of Ayurveda and preserve this ancient medical system as a living tradition.
