Sushruta was father of surgery, says former CSIR DG

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, February 5 

Sushruta Samhita, was the father of surgery and was the earliest medical encyclopaedia known to the world, Dr Girish Sahni, former Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), said at the 51st Panjab University Colloquium on ‘A Challenge for Our Times: Balancing the Human Quest for Truth, Abundant Scientific and Managerial Talent, Some Ivory Towers and 

Societal Expectations’ here on Tuesday.

He said Sushruta conducted more than 3,000 cataract, caesarean and urinary stone surgeries using 120 tools. He also talked about India’s greatness in metallurgy, particularly zinc smelting, in the past. “There was whole renaissance which was vibrating in the country,” he said. 

When contacted, Dr Sahni said, “I didn’t claim that Sushruta conducted cataract, caesarean and urinary stone surgeries. I only presented a view that surgery existed in the ancient India. My idea was that we should be proud of our past.” 

But Meera Nanda, former visiting faculty at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, in history and philosophy of science, said, “Sushruta Samhita was compiled around 200 AD. It was not written by one person. It has mentioned about cataract and stone surgery, but there are no details. We don’t know whether they were successful. It has details about nasal reconstruction.” 

Science should reach common man: Sahni

Dr Sahni said science needed compassion like a soldier who had virtues of compassion with bravery. “This country, which didn’t choose Stalin or Mao, is now counted among top 5-6 countries in science. There should be a bridge between intellectual advantage and common man,” he said. 

He said the fundamental issue was that scientists should be willing to participate in the process till the product came out. 

Earlier, Prof Promila Pathak, coordinator, PU Colloquium Series, introduced Dr Sahni who is also a Bhatnagar fellow. PU V-C Prof Raj Kumar emphasised on the contribution of researchers and scientists to society.