Gopalsamy Veluchamy

G. Veluchamy is a physician of the Siddha system of medicine, the traditional medicine of Tamil Nadu, who has worked for the system for more than fifty years. He was named for the Padma Shri in 2023 in the field of medicine, from Tamil Nadu ^[1].

Teacher and physician

Veluchamy was born on 3 November 1947 at Panayadipatti, a village in Virudhunagar district ^[2]. He started as an assistant lecturer at the Government Siddha Medical College in Palayamkottai in 1970, and then headed the Siddha section of Arignar Anna Hospital for Indian Systems of Medicine in Chennai until 1981 ^[2].

Saving old texts

In 1981 he joined the Central Research Institute for Siddha in Chennai as an assistant director ^[2]. He collected more than 1,500 palm-leaf manuscripts on Siddha medicine, and 14 original texts from them were edited and published for students and researchers ^[2]. He also led studies that tested Siddha medicines against modern standards set out by the World Health Organization, and organised nine national seminars to present the results to doctors from other systems ^[2].

National roles

From 1999 to 2003 he was director of the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha in New Delhi, and represented the field abroad, including at Expo 2000 in Hanover and at the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva on traditional knowledge ^[2]. Since retiring in 2007 he has continued to serve the Ministry of AYUSH, including as chairman of the Siddha Pharmacopoeia Committee ^[2]. The Tamil Nadu Dr M.G.R. Medical University gave him a lifetime achievement award in 2012 ^[2].