Kaviraj Jamini Bhusan Roy

Date of Birth:- July 1, 1879.
Place of Birth:- Poyogram village, Khulna District, Bengal (now in Bangladesh)
Details of family:- His father, Kaviraj Panchanan Roy (known as Kavi Chintamoni), was a renowned Ayurveda doctor and Sanskrit scholar Kaviraj Jamini Bhusan Roy was married to Saroj Bala Devi. They were blessed with six children. Unfortunately, the two youngest sons of Jamini Bhusan Roy passed away too early, during their late teenage, causing immense grief to the family.

Educational Qualifications:- He received his early education at the village school in Povogram. Kaviraj Panchanan Roy, recognizing his son’s skills, sent him to Kolkata (then known as Calcutta, the capital of British India). At the age of 14, he completed high school at South Suburban School in Bhowanipore, South Calcutta. After high school, Jamini Bhushan enrolled in his Bachelor of Arts studies at Government Sanskrit College, Calcutta. After graduation, he pursued his Master of Arts in Sanskrit language and later medical education at Calcutta Medical College. All this time, he was learning Ayurveda under the supervision of his father, Kaviraj Panchanan Roy, who was a renowned practitioner in his own right. This early training in Sanskrit and Ayurveda prepared the path for his later academic achievements and profession as an Avurveda practitioner and Sanskrit scholar. In 1905, he completed his Bachelor of Medicine (M.B.) degree and was awarded a gold medal for holding first rank in the final examination. The citation accompanying the medal highlighted his exceptional proficiency in Gynecology and Midwifery Despite this remarkable achievement, Roy decided not to pursue a career in Western medicine. Instead, following in his father’s footsteps, he became a Kaviraj or an Ayurvedic physician. He took formal lessons from Kaviraj Mahkamahopadhvay Bijoy Ratna Sen, a leading Avurveda physician of that time, for higher learning in Ayurveda.

Professional Trajectory:-

As a Philanthropy and Social Engagements:- Despite being educated in the Western system of medicine, Kaviraj Jamini Bhusan Roy decided to follow in his family’s footsteps and practice Ayurveda in 1906. In pursuit of this goal, he established the Vaidyaraj Pharmacy, which sold only Avurvedic medicines. He adopted modem manufacturing techniques at the pharmacy, adhering to quality control and assurance mechanisms. He treated the Maharajas of Gwalior, Indore, and Tripura, among others. His name and reputation in Ayurvedic treatment increased to the point where he was elected President of the 7th All India Avurvedic Conference in Madras in 1915.

As a Publisher:- The publications of Kaviraj Jamini Bhusan Roy are based on ancient Indian medical texts and provide a unique insight into the principles and practices of Ayurveda. His book “Diseases-Their Origin and Diagnosis” (Roga Vinishchaya) emphasizes gaps in classical disease descriptions that practitioners may struggle to understand for applying in clinical practice. It received widespread critical acclaim, further cementing his reputation as a leading figure in Ayurveda medicine. Additionally, he published a monthly journal in Bengali called Ayurveda, which helped to disseminate information about Ayurveda to a broader audience. This joumal was published under the editorial guidance of Kaviraj Srivirajcharan Gupta Kavibhushan with Kaviraj Jamini Bhusan Roy as coeditor.

During his visit to the southern part of the country, he was very impressed with the Madras Avurvedic College and its functioning. This inspired him to establish a similar institution in his native Calcutta. So in 1916, Kaviraj Jamini Bhusan Roy founded the Ashtanga Ayurveda College and Hospital in a rented house at 29 Fariapukur Street in Calcutta. His vision was to blend traditional Avurveda practices with modern scientific methods to revive the ancient Indian medical tradition was neglected during foreign rule. Under the leadership of Sir Ashutosh Mukhopadhvav, President of the Board of College Trustees, and Shri Mahamahopadhvava Kaviraj, President of the College Council, Jamini Bhushan Roy sought support from all Bengalis and Indians to fulfill its vision. His innovative approach quickly caught the attention of prominent figures such as Mahatma Gandhi.

Major Achievements:- Kaviraj Jamini Bhusan Roy’s vision and dedication were instrumental in reviving traditional Indian medicine in Bengal, which was in decline. He was crucial in bringing modem techniques and quality measures to drug manufacturing, making it more accessible and appealing to the masses. Through his efforts, Ayurveda gained recognition as a legitimate form of treatment, and his legacy continues to inspire practitioners of Ayurveda to this day. Kaviraj Jamini Bhusan Roy’s sudden demise on August 11, 1926, stunned the medical community of Bengal. A day before his death at the age of 47, he contributed Rs. 1,47,403 to his beloved Ashtanga Ayurveda college and hospital. His contributions to the field of Ayurveda and his efforts to combine ancient knowledge with modern medicine were widely recognized and appreciated. Kaviraj Jamini Bhusan Roy realized that to save a fallen nation’s energy, its indigenous medicine system must be revived. During that time, Bengal was plagued by ailments such as malaria, cholera, dyspepsia, and typhoid. He believed that if traditional Ayurvedic treatment were restored, the disease would be eradicated on a wide scale.

Kaviraj Jamini Bhusan Roy Patipukur T.B. Hospital, located in the northem part of Kolkata, was initially established as a 60-bed hospital to treat tuberculosis patients, a significant public health concem in the early twentieth century. The hospital is situated on the land Kaviraj Jamini Bhusan Roy bequeathed to his institution in his last will. Seven years after his death, the foundation stone for the hospital was laid by Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, an eminent physician, freedom fighter, and later Chief Minister of West Bengal, a close friend of Kaviraj Yamini Bhushan Roy. After that, it was renamed as Patipukur Ayurvedic Hospital and is running with 94 beds. It provides treatment for various respiratory diseases and related illnesses. The hospital has a dedicated team of healthcare professionals.

Full paper link

https://journals.lww.com/jras/fulltext/2024/08001/kaviraj_jamini_bhusan_roy__the_man_who_led_the.9.aspx