Gujarat

Maharshi Charak

Hippocratic Oath

Charak Shapath

Charak Oath

Indian Medical Association

Ahmedabad Medical Association

NHL Medical College

Dipti Shah

LG Hospital

RSS makes another first in Gujarat. For the first time, over 3,500 medical students fromhave taken ‘Charak Shapath’, afterwho’s considered father of Indian medical science of Ayurveda. World over medical students take one or the other variant of— named after Hippocrates who’s believed to be the father of western medicine. The oath is a rite of passage for graduating medical students in many countries.is the brainchild of National Medicos Organisation (NMO), the medical wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.NMO believes that medical students should take pride in India’s medical legacy dating back to 300 BC. Its officials claim Charak Shapath encompasses medical ethics that are rooted in Indian culture and traditions than the western Hippocratic Oath. NMO has been propoundingfor Indian medical students for 15 years, albeit in a lowkey manner. It is only now that it has been taken up on such a large and organised scale. administered to students of 17 out of 20 medical colleges in Gujarat.Majority of doctors welcomed the move by the RSS’ medical wing with only a few voices opining against it. Dr Yogendra Modi, President of, Gujarat chapter, said: “I think intention of the both the oaths is same — best possible treatment to patients and service to humanity. So, I don’t find anything wrong with Charak Shapath.” However, managing committee member ofDr Vasant Patel said: “Charak was related to Ayurveda so there is no meaning of taking his oath by the students of modern medicine —allopathy. His oath would be relevant for students in Ayurveda colleges.”When asked if Charak Shapath has been administered to students in other states as well, National President of NMO Dr Manubhai Patel said: “NMO was established in 1977. We have been reciting Charak Shapath since then. But its recitation has picked up pace in last 15 years. At present, we are active in 18 out of 27 Indian states but Gujarat has been at the forefront of our initiative since the beginning. Unlike yesteryears, we have covered most colleges of Gujarat in 2017.”Dr Patel commented: “Hippocrates was not even born when Charak wrote his treatise. Charak’s oath applies to both medical students and practitioners while Hippocratic Oath applies to only practitioners. But the most important difference is that Charak was an Indian. We ought to have more faith in our countryman than a foreigner. Hippocrates may have contributed to medical science but we should not forget Indian legacy. We should take pride in it.”When asked to justify the need for Charak Shapath, Dr Prakash Kurmi, president of NMO’s Gujarat chapter, said: “As the name suggests, it has been derived from ‘Charak Samhita’ the medical treatise authored by Maharshi Charak. Charak Shapath is inclusive of tenets of Hippocrates Oath and is rooted in our culture. For example, Charak Shapath says the doctor should check a female patient only in the presence of her family member of relative. Also, it is more relevant to modern times as it advocates that doctors should not look at illness of the patient as means of making money.”The Charak Shapath is administered after taking due permission from the college authorities. Dr Pankaj Patel, dean of, said: “Charak Shapath inculcates values in future doctors. Around 230 students from new batch of our college took the oath recently for the first time. It instills a sense of responsibility in doctors towards their patients. We will administer to future batches as well.” Dr, dean of the AMCMET medical college at, believes the Charak Shapath instills values in graduating doctors. “By organising such programs, NMO is doing a great work of inculcating sanskar (values) into doctors. Hippocratic Oath is a western concept while Charak Shapath is rooted in Indian culture. Through it, we will be able to sensitise doctors towards plight of patients. During orientation, we had administered Hippocratic Oath to our students,” said Dr Shah.