Interestingly, in the 1930s, during a major outbreak of the plague, Vaidyaratnam Pandit Diwi Gopalacharyulu saved hundreds of thousands of lives by introducing two key medicines — Sasi Vilas & Hemadri Panakam. For this great service and expertise in the field of Ayurvedic medicine, he was bestowed the title of Vaidyaratnam by British Viceroy, Lord Hardinge of Penshurst. Desikacharulu was the next important person in line to expand the market for the institution, ensuring that the wonders of Ayurveda were extolled abroad. Dr Gopalacharyulu was the longest-standing head of the organisation, serving for a total of 42 years, before Dr D Desikacharyulu and Dr D Jayashree began heading operations at SAMH in 1988.
Among the many honours bestowed on the organisation are 18 plus gold medals from various statutory bodies over the years. The two most prestigious of these were presented to Pandit D Gopalacharyulu: the first, by the Mysore Maharaja in 1915, and the second, for presiding over the inaugural National Ayurveda Congress in 1922.
Ever since, the organisation has moved leaps and bounds in keeping with the times and standardizing a dynamic system of production, packaging, and marketing, alongside maintaining remarkably superior quality of products and services. Its core- competency, besides high quality, has been its ethical stance. There have been times when the organisation has chosen to forgo large-scale expansion to ensure its quality standards. For over four decades, even before the concept of hospitalisation in Ayurvedic tradition set into the country, the institution has been maintaining international standards of sealed, packed, labelled, and licensed medicines. Individualised consultation, customised treatments, and transparent prescriptions are a hallmark of the Institution, making SAMH an accessible and reliable Ayurvedic hospital that is the right blend of ancient knowledge with modern comfort.
In the new-age India of today, and with the rise of awareness about the Ayurvedic tradition world over, it has been a fulfilling experience to treat and cure an increasing number of people suffering from regular, chronic, and even rare ailments. Dispelling the common myths about Ayurveda that do the rounds, Dr Jayashree, the MD of SAMH recently honoured by the World Wide Media Corporation (WWMC), USA – as the Legendary Medical Practitioners Award 2015 in the category of Ayurveda, says in an interview:
“There is this belief amongst people that Ayurveda is slow, that there are no emergency treatment options under its system, and that certain unknown medication is prescribed (a preconceived notion that Ayurvedic medicines contain metals and steroids that are harmful to the body, Let me assure you that all these myths are put to rest at SAMH. It is a matter of pride for us to share with you that we have patients who walk through our doors with allopathic medical reports, expecting solutions from Ayurveda – without thinking twice.”
The organisation now successfully continues to deliver its prime services and manufacture medicines as per the standards set by the founder, Vaidyaratnam Pandit Diwi Gopalacharyulu. It has added a new range of medicines, food and cosmetic products besides stocking medicines from the other leading brands as well, to ensure that its patients and customers get nothing less than the best. In the process of achieving its goal of making Ayurveda available to one and all, SAMH has organised innumerable wellness programmes, medical camps, and health workshops, regularly disseminating health tips through its Facebook Page and Youtube Channel. Ayur Wheels is a thought-provoking initiative that offers expert treatment in the comfort of a patient’s home.
SAMH’s list of treatments includes Panchakarma, Detoxification, Rejuvenation, and tackling specific ailments like Bone and Joint issues, Nervous Disorders, Obesity, Heart Ailments, Special Children, and Cancer — to name a few. Under specialisation and preventive care, the hospital offers Ayurvedic Surgeries, Infertility Treatment, Maternity Care, Immunisation Programmes, and Herbal Beauty Care.
