Dr. Suresh Kumar Agarwal established an Institution namely the Indian Board of Alternative Medicines in the year 1991 in Kolkata, India. The Institution was established to impart education, conduct conferences and publish books in the field of Alternative Medicines, viz. Yoga, Naturopathy, Reiki, Meditation, Acupressure, Acupuncture, etc.

The Institution went onto become the largest institution in India and people from all over the country began to undergo its online and distance education courses, attend its glittery International Conferences and buy its published books.

The Institution over the years received approval from bodies in the USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand, as well as its students were receiving attestation from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The Institution continuously was receiving praiseworthy messages of support from the Office of the President, Prime Minister, Governors, Chief Ministers, Ministers of State, etc. for the Conferences and Seminars organized for popularizing and propagating the system of alternative medicines.

Seeing the growth of the Institution and the surge in demand for the system of Alternative Medicines in India and worldwide, several other institutions also mushroomed in the country and started offering courses in various disciplines of alternative medicines.

N.B.: Institutions of Alternative Medicines only have accord to conduct courses in Alternative Medicines (Yoga, Naturopathy, Acupuncture, Meditation, etc.). They do not have the accord to offer degrees in Medical Science and Surgery, for which additional approval of the Medical Council of India is required.

However, in a very unfortunate turn of events, it was alleged by the State of West Bengal in 2017, one Institution of Alternative Medicines run by one Mr. Romes Badyo out of Barasat, West Bengal, was flouting the Government norms and without any approval or accord from Medical Council of India (MCI) had awarded certain degrees in Allopathic Medicine and Surgery.

West Bengal Medical Council

The Government of West Bengal in an immediate reaction lodged FIRs against all Institutions of Alternative Medicines with strict instruction to detain and arrest Officials of all such Institutions.

Indian Board of Alternative Medicines headed by Dr. Suresh Kumar Agarwal filed for Quashing of the FIR in the Hon’ble Calcutta High Court pleading that other Institutions may have indulged in malpractice but his Institution has not indulged in the illegal practice of awarding degrees in Allopathic Medicine and Surgery. He welcomed the State Government to conduct an investigation against him but that could also be done without arresting the Officials.

However, just days before the final hearing of the above matter could be concluded in the Hon’ble High Court of Calcutta, the State Government detained the Officials of the Institution, namely Dr. Suresh Kumar Agarwal and his son, Chandan Agarwal.

The State Government also freezed their Bank Accounts, sent details to the Financial Intelligence Unit in New Delhi and conducted a thorough investigation. However, the State Government found no financial mishap on the part of the Institution or its officials, and thereafter all the said Accounts, etc. were de-freezed by the Hon’ble Court. India is a democratic nation where Courts follow the principle of Satyamev Jayate and Truth Always Prevails, sooner or later. In this case, justice has not yet been fully awarded.

Dr. Suresh Kumar Agarwal is a very respected gentleman in the society with more than 25 degrees to his name in various fields, recipient of several awards from national and international bodies and author of tens of books on Health, Healing, Yoga and Alternative Medicines. He has represented IBAM at the United Nations in the USA, has been a Guest Speaker at Conferences of the World Health Organization (WHO), and served as the Chairman of the Haryana Government’s Committee for syllabi on Alternative Medicines. He is also the Founding Editor of Health Sciences Journal, a Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India registered body.

Indian Board of Alternative Medicines

His son, Chandan Agarwal, is an established Chartered Accountant.

With the unfortunate event that the father-son duo was made to live through, they have shut down the Institution in Kolkata and have expressed no desire of running it any further in West Bengal.

In the meantime, Dr. Suresh Kumar Agarwal has founded a Private University in Ranchi, Jharkhand, approved by the Government of Jharkhand and UGC, Government of India. He has stated that the courses on Alternative Medicines shall re-commence soon under the University in Ranchi, viz. Pragyan International University, and has no plans of establishing any Institution in West Bengal in the near future.

Pragyan International University has been established by an Act of State Legislature of Jharkhand in Ranchi and has received the assent of the Hon’ble Governor.