The flagbearer of Ayurveda medicine in India and the managing trustee of the Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, Dr PK Warrier died at his residence in Kottakkal in Malappuram district on Saturday, PTI reports. Warrier had celebrated his 100th birthday last month. 

Warrier, who was honoured with Padma Shri in 1999 and Padma Bhushan in 2010, had been avoiding in-person medical consultations because of COVID-19, local media reports. There is no official statement about the cause of his death. 

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PK Warrier was the Managing Trustee of Arya Vaidya Sala since 1954. He propagated the holistic approach of Ayurveda for about seven decades. Warrier’s writings, speeches and research papers have been compiled under the title ‘Padamudrakal’.

His book ‘Smrithiparvam’ won the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award for the best autobiography in 2009.  Its English translation was titled ‘The Canto of Memories’. 

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Warrier was elected president of the All India Ayurvedic Congress twice. The Calicut University honoured him with a DLitt in 1999. His pivotal role in taking Ayurveda to heights of glory made him a synonym for Kottakkal Ayurveda.

PK Warrier is survived by his son Balachandra Warrier and daughter Subhadra Ramachandran. Late poet Madhavikutty K. Warrier was his wife.