Santhigiri Ayurveda Medical College, Palakkad is a unit of Santhigiri Ashram and administered by the department of Santhigiri Healthcare Research Organisation under its Medical Education Division. Santhigiri Ashram is a voluntary charitable organisation founded in 1964 by “Navajyothishree Karunakara Guru” at Pothencode near Thiruvananthapuram, with the aim of development of humanity as its core in general and total elevation of oneself in specific. This is carried out thru the motto of 'Annadhanam, Athurasevanam and Athmabodhanam.' Santhigiri Ashram has been recognized for its research efforts, as the 'Scientific Industrial Research Organisation-SIRO' by the Govt.of India, Ministry of Science & Technology thru the Council of Science & Industrial Research(CSIR).
Santhigiri Ayurveda Medical College has been established by Santhigiri Ashram imbibing the vision of its Founder NAVAJYOTHISHREE KARUNAKARA GURU.The first step towards realizing the vision of Guru was to start an Ayurveda Hospital. The Hospital was commenced at Olassery, Palakkad in 1997 by Guru himself catering to the needs of nearly 60 villages surrounding. It is situated adjacent to Santhigiri Palakkad Branch Ashram and on the banks of Bharatapuzha’s tributary Sokanashini Puzha (a river that cures sorrows) in the midst of paddy fields and palmtreesin full peace and tranquility.The college is established in the year 2002. It aims at bringing up a group of doctors of profound scholarship having deep basis of Ayurveda with scientific knowledge in accordance with Ayurvedic fundamentals with extensive practical training and above all possessing the great principles of Arogya Dharma Siddhantham envisioned by Guru.
Diagnosis and treatment in Ayurveda is based on very strong principles like Karya karana Principle, Samanya Vishesha Principle etc. The principles are time tested and can therefore be applied even to the new generation diseases. Each patient is an unique and he is examined by methods like Trividha Pareeksha, Dashavidha Pareeksha etc. Treatment modalities include Shadhana( Purification), Shamana( Pacification) apart from Nidana Parivarjana( avoiding cause) and Pathya –Apathya vivechana( Planning the diet and other regimen).
Ayurveda has got eight branches, namely Kayachikitsa(General Medicine), Balachikitsa(Paediatrics) Graha Cikitsa(psychiatry), Urdhvanga chikitsa(ENT and Eye), Shalya Tantra(Surgery), Visha Chikitsa (Toxicology), rasayana Tantra(Rejuvenation), and Vajeekarana Tantra( Vilification). Santhigiri Ayurveda Medical College is affiliated under Kerala University of Health Science (KUHS),Thrissur ,Kerala and is regulated by Central Council of Indian Medicine, New Delhi