The Living Legacy of Ayurveda at BHU: From Shushruta’s Varanasi to Modern Integration Prof Yamini Bhusan Tripathi Former Dean, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, India, yamini@bhu.ac.in As I look back on my journey at the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS, BHU) since 1981 as a demonstrator of Biochemistry in the department of Medicinal Chemistry till my superannuation in 2022, and specifically during my tenure as Dean (2017-20), I am often struck by how the ancient echoes of Shushruta still resonate within our modern laboratories. This is not just a history of an institution; it is a chronicle of a vision to prove that Ayurveda is a living, breathing science. I wrote this piece to capture how we have transitioned from traditional roots to becoming a global hub for integrated medicine. The history of medical education in Varanasi, the oldest living city in the World and the cultural capital of India, is at leas...
Posts
Psychological Hygiene: The Missing Link Between Mental Health, Lifestyle Disorders, and a Conscious Nation
Prof Yamini Bhusan Tripathi, PhD Biochemistry Former Dean, Faculty of Ayurveda, IMS, BHU, Varanasi-221005, India We clean our bodies every day. We bathe, wash our clothes, and maintain physical hygiene because we know that dirt leads to disease. But how often do we clean our minds? This is covered under Psychological Hygiene. Chedana Udaya Mission —initiated by Dr Priyadarshani Shukla is an initiative aimed at awakening a conscious nation. Just as physical hygiene prevents infections, psychological hygiene prevents what Ayurveda calls Pragyaparadh—crimes against wisdom. This silent inner disorder is now recognized as one of the root causes behind chronic stress, lifestyle disorders, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Pragyaparadh can be defined as a state when the Mind starts acting against the soul (Conflict between pure soul and analytical mind). One knows that a “deed is wrong, but still, one does it. In other words, “doing wrong things knowingly”. Ayurveda expl...
Health Beyond Medicine: The Invisible Power of Mind-Body Connections Prof Yamini Bhusan Tripathi, PhD (Biochemistry) Former Dean, Faculty of Ayurveda, IMS, BHU, Varanasi-221005, India Have you ever felt a knot in your stomach or noticed your heart racing before a big presentation, when you're stressed? These are the real signals talking about your state of mind, emotions, and social life, which are connected to your physical health. It is defined as the biopsychosocial model, which predicts the effects of your thoughts, feelings, and the world around you on your physiology and overall health. This raises a question about how our mind talks to our Body. As we know mind is controlled by our 5 sense organs, which are sensitive to our outer environment, which is nature and society around us. There is a popular saying in Ayurveda “ यत् पिण्डे तत् ब्रह्माण्डे" (Yat Pi ṇḍ e Tat Bra...
Understanding Iron Deficiency through physiological symptoms Prof Yamini Bhusan Tripathi, PhD biochemistry, Former Dean Faculty of Ayurveda and CEO Yamini Innovations (MSME for R and D), Varanasi, India 03-06-2025 Iron deficiency is one of the most common and impactful nutritional deficiencies worldwide. Very often it is overlooked, though it is affecting approximately 2 billion people globally , it can silently sap energy, impair daily functioning, and worsen chronic illnesses if left unaddressed. 🧬 What is Iron Deficiency? Iron plays a vital role in producing haemoglobin , the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. When iron levels are low, the body’s oxygen-carrying capacity is reduced, leading to iron-deficiency anaemia — a condition that affects around 1.2 billion people globally (Zhou et al., 2024). However, not all iron deficiency leads to anaemia, in the beginning. They may show the symptoms of non-anaemic iron deficiency ,...
Pearl millet-Bajra (बाजरा): Pennisetum glaucum
Pearl millet-Bajra ( बाजरा ) : Pennisetum glaucum Prof Yamini Bhusan Tripathi, PhD Biochemistry Former Dean, Ayurveda Faculty, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, CEO, Yamini Innovations (LLP), Varanasi-221005, yamini30@gmail.com , The pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a small-seeded grass of C4 plant species (having a higher photosynthetic rate than C3 plants). It is known as बाजरा ( Bajra) in Hindi, Panjabi, Odia and Bengali, Kambu in Tamil, Sajjalu in Telugu, (Sajje in Kannada, Baajra in Malayali, Bajri in Marathi and Gujrati, Bazha in Assamese, Nachani in Manipuri. which are highly nutritious staple foods in many parts of Africa and Asia. Bajra has several health benefits including mitigation of chronic metabolic diseases, type−2 diabetes and obesity, which is attributed to its Low Glycemic Index (GI), High Fiber Content, high Nutrient Density, Gluten-Free, and high satiety with slow digestion. It regulates the appetite and r...
Bitter gourd (Karela), Momordica charantia
Bitter gourd (Karela), Momordica charantia Prof Yamini Bhusan Tripathi, PhD Biochemistry Former Dean, Ayurveda Faculty, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, CEO, Yamini Innovations (LLP), Varanasi-221005, yamini30@gmail.com , The Bitter gourd (Karela), scientifically known as Momordica charantia , of Cucurbitaceae family is a tropical/subtropical climbing or trailing vine. It has yellow, solitary, axillary unisexual (dioecious) flowers, meaning that male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. Its fruit are oblong/ cylindrical, green when young, but turns to orange/red on ripening. The fruit contains numerous seeds embedded in a pulpy flesh and used as vegetable or medicines, but seeds are also used, as they contain alkaloids, saponins, with several therapeutic claims. Its Leaves and roots have less use. It has different name as Bitter gourd in or Bitter melon in English, Karelā in Punjabi and Urdu, Kāreluṁ in Gujarati, Korola in Bengali, ( ...
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L): Lycopene
Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L): Lycopene Prof Yamini Bhusan Tripathi, PhD Biochemistry Former Dean, Ayurveda Faculty, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, CEO, Yamini Innovations (LLP), Varanasi-221005, yamini30@gmail.com , www.yaminiinnovations.com Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L. or Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) is used as vegetable and its quality depends on its dry matter, organic acids (ascorbic acid), minerals, vitamin C, A and E), sugars, essential amino acids (leucine, threonine, valine, histidine, lysine, arginine), monounsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic acids), potassium, folate, and non-nutritive phytochemicals like carotenoids and other polyphenols. In nature, about 600 carotenoids are found, which may be (i) highly unsaturated hydrocarbons, and (ii) x...