COIMBATORE: P R Krishnakumar, Chairman and Managing Director of the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (AVP) Coimbatore Limited, who had devoted his entire life to creating awareness on Ayurveda, died of Covid-19 at a private hospital on Wednesday, official sources of the health department told The New Indian Express. He was 68.
According to sources, Krishnakumar, who suffered from comorbid conditions, died due to sepsis with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and COVID-19.
He was hospitalized two weeks ago, said sources, adding that his nasal samples collected at the hospital a week ago had tested positive for the virus.
Krishnakumar breathed his last at 8.22 pm on Wednesday.
The AVP officials have sought permission of the district administration to allow them to cremate his body as per the official guidelines, and requested consent to allow at least 25 people to attend the funeral on Thursday.
On March 28, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with AYUSH practitioners' across the country including Krishnakumar via video conference on providing alternative treatment for Covid-19 infection.
About his early life, sources said Krishnakumar studied Ayurveda at Shoranur Ayurveda College in Kerala and devoted his life to promoting Ayurveda.
He established an institute by the name of AVP Research Foundation (AVPRF) to conduct clinical, literary, field, and drug researches and to train aspiring ayurvedic scholars.
AVPRF launched the RUDRA clinical documentation program in 2003 to promote practice-based evidence in the field of Ayurveda.
It is to be recalled that the Government of India in 2009 honored him with the 'Padmashri award' and presented him the prestigious ‘Dhanwanthari Puraskar’ in 2016 for his contributions in the field of Ayurveda Education, Health and Community Services.
In 2011, he received a Doctorate from Kuvempu University.
He is also the recipient of awards like 'Pathanjali Puraskar' of Pathanjali Vidya Peetam, 'Kulapathi Munshi Award' of Bharatheeya Vidya Bhavan, among others.
He is well-known to have succeeded in creating awareness about Ayurveda at the World Health Organisation (WHO) and had visited over 50 countries to promote Ayurveda.
He is also known for setting up the first Gurukula Ayurvedic College in the country.
The Padmashri recipient had launched a popular journal of Ayurveda (Ancient Science of Life) in English in the 1970s. He was the Chancellor of Avinashilingam deemed University for Women from 2015 until his death.
He was born in Shornur at Palakkad on September 23, 1951.