A Journey through the life of Dr. K.S. Gangadharan
The eventful life of Dr. K.S. Gangadharan (1921 - 2017) began in the year of 1921. He was born as the eldest son of Sri Shankaran and Smt Kalikutti. He also led a child hood not different from others but he was a nature lover from childhood itself. According to his mother’s words he showed interest in plants, he was curious about the name of different plants and for what it is used. May be the essence of Ayurveda was present in his blood from childhood itself. And there is also a genuine reason to state the point. Kadavil kunjunni Vaidyar (his Great Grandfather), was a renowned eye specialist of the time who received “Pattum,Valayum”(a type of silk cloth and golden bangle given as a recognition) from the then Maharaja of Thiruvithamkoor for excellence in Ayurveda.
He started his schooling at Nettur Primary School but had to discontinue and returned to Manjummal. He did his first 3 years of schooling there. Then completed his schooling at Nedngattukunnnu government school. Then he joined Adwaidashraman Sanskrit Collage. There he passes Sashtri test. After that he joined Trivandrum Ayurveda College. He excelled in studies and completed the course with scholarship in 1945 i.e. during the last year of 2nd world war. He was bestowed with the “Vaidya kalanidhi” degree.
It was in that period that he was tantalized by the communist thesis and joined communist party of India and was arrested and spend 3 months in the prison. T. K. Narayanan Pilla was the C M then.
Parents were distressed about him and decided to get him settled, and he got married to Rathnabhai who stood as an iron pillar behind his success. The saying "Behind the Success of every man there is a woman" is very much significant in the case of Dr. Gangadharan. In other word it was a turning point in his life towards the healing touch of success
10 year of experience and hard work in Karnataka led him to the golden step. In the year 1945, Shankar Pharmacy was established in a rented building owned by Munkunda Pandithar. Behind the growth of a one roomed shop into an established Ayurvedic G M P Certified Company, lies a lot of pain, hard work and staunch will power. The man who led the chariot of success is Dr. K.S. Gangadharan.
It’s a story of success started just with Rs.1000/-. In 1945 he went to Karnataka along with his wife to build up his profession. There he started a clinic. He was not quenched by the knowledge he acquired and side by side started research on one of the most disturbing problem of human body “ULCER”. There is a specific reason for selecting this particular topic. He himself was a victim of colitis. It is said that “Most good judgement comes from experience”. He was doing his Ayurveda course during that time. He suffered a hell that he was forced to take a decision to discontinue the course. But Dr. L.A. Ravivarma the then Principal of Trivandrum Ayurveda collage disagreed with his decision and even arranged a special room for Dr. Gangadharan taking in to consideration his difficulties. And with the whole hearted support of Dr. L.A. Ravivarma, he continued his studies. Everyone has experienced something that has changed them in a way that they could never go back to the reason they once were. It’s during this particular period of time he took the decision to research on the matter of “ULCER”