Surgical Essence of Susruta Samhita

Dr. K.K. Thakral was born on 1938 in the village Sobowal, Distt. Sargodha, now in Pakistan. The family shifted to Yamuna Nagar, Haryana during partition of the country. After passing intermediate with science he graduated from state Ayurvedic college, Lucknow in 1964 obtaining Bachelor of Ayurveda with Modern Medicine and Surgery (B.A.M.S.) degree from Lucknow University in First position. He obtained his P.G. degree D. Ay.M (Shalya Shalakaya, i.e. surgery and E.N.T.) from B.H.U. Varanasi in 1968 in first position. He served as lecturer, reader, Professor (Shalya) in various state Ayurvedic colleges of U.P. Then he served as Principal and Dean, Faculty of Ayurveda, Kanpur University for 5 years. He was invited to work as Asstt. Research Surgeon, Surgeon, Deptt. of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, U.S.A. for two years and conducted higher research in wound healing. He worked as Director, Ayurveda and Unani and Director Ayurveda and Unani (Syllabus valuation) during 1995-1996, U.P.

He has published 56 research papers out of which 12 are in foreign journals. He has guided Ph. D. And M.D. thesis, and has published a book entitled ‘Shalya tantra ke siddhanta’. He was moderator, Publication division C.C.I.M. New Delhi. He worked as nember of Ayurved advisory committee, U.P.,C.C.I.M. New Delhi, Education committee C. C. I .M., National task force on Kshar Sutra, Dept. of AYUSH, Deptt. of Ayush, Ministry of Health & F.W. govt. of India. He worked as expert member, Public Service commission, Uttra Khand, and B.H.U. Varanasi. He has delivered 52 guest lectures during C.M.E. and R.O.T.P. programmes.

He was awarded Ayurved Ratnakar in 1991, Ayurved Brahaspati in 1992 and National Herbal Protection award, Global open university in 2010.

He represented India during International conference, Juntendo University, Japan in 1992 and also was Chief guest Japan Ayurved Society in 1992.

He has renderd social services in Bronchial asthma relief camps-47. Handicapped service camps-4 and Eye relief camps-15.

He has been awarded fellow of International College of Angiology, U.S.A. 1979, Fellow of Academy of Indian Medicine-B.H.U.-1997 and Fellow of Rashtriya Ayurved Vidyapeeth-(E.R.A.V.) New Delhi-2001, and worked as GURV for 3 years.

After his retirement as Director, Ayurveda and Unani, U.P. he is running his own specialized Kshar Sutra Clinic and serving the humanity.

It gives me immense pleasure to write the foreword of the book entitled "Surgical Essence of Sushruta Samhita" written by Prof. K.K. Thakral, who has been a teacher, researcher and administrator.

"Sushruta" the great surgeon of ancient India lived and practiced surgery around 7000 years back. He propounded and established the principles and philosophy of Surgery. His teachings on treatment of different kinds of wounds including war wounds, asepsis, antisepsis, ways of spread of infection, fractures, dislocations piles, Fistula in ano, urinary bladder stones, and caesarean section are of great importance.

He was the first person to perform rhinoplasty and repair of cut ears and so gave Plastic surgery to the world and that is why he is known as "Father of Surgery" and rightly so.

In the present times surgery has made a huge progress with the help of anaesthesia, technology and newer instruments which have made it possible to reach all the organs of the body. If analysed carefully all these developments are based on the surgical principles and philosophy as described by Sushruta.

Prof. Thakral with his vast experience has tried to bring out all those' i1ilbdrtant' facts in his book. The book contains important Shlokas with their translation both in English and Hindi which will help the-readers to understand and comprehend the subject easily. The modern day surgeons in India and abroad would also be benefited by understanding the knowledge embedded in Sushruta Samhita.

I congratulate Prof. Thakral for-this scholarly work and hope he would keep exploring the treasure of knowledge present in ancient medical books for the benefit of humanity.

I am happy to bring out this short compilation of Susruta' s verses on important topics in Surgery. It is hoped that it will help the Post Graduate students of Shalya Tantra as well as teachers to review the subject. I wish that Post Graduate Students remember these Shlokas by heart and am sure that if they do so they shall never fail in the teaching and practice of their surgical skill. Needless to mention that the compilation is by no means complete. However efforts have been made to include all important aspects. In future further improvements in arrangement of the matter and inclusion of the matter left out will be made. I have every hope that this short compilation will help the reader to have a bird's eye view of the vast treasuers of knowledge locked in our ancient Samhita and will initiate him to dive deeper in the subject to bring out new suggestions for enriching the science and practice of surgery as a whole. I owe my gratitude to my teachers (late) Dr. P.J. Deshpande, (Late) Dr. L.M. Singh, (Late) Dr. P.S. Shankaran, who always stressed for studying Sushruta Samhita.