Bronze statue of Maharishi Sushruta, known as Father of Surgery, unveiled at Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh June 19. Crafted by Raghavanantham Sthapathi and team in Swamimalai, Tamil Nadu . Tribute to Sushruta’s lasting impact on medicine.
Placing this statue at world's oldest surgical college holds weight. Sushruta’s ancient text, Sushruta Samhita, is earliest known surgical treatise,marking key moment in surgery history. Initiative led by Dr . Chandra Cheruvu,an eminent surgeon from Andhra Pradesh, now in UK.
Guided by K. Govindaraj, president of Indian Association of Gastrointestinal EndoSurgeons,project given to Sthapathi. Statue and pedestal,weighing about 90 kilograms,crafted over two months using traditional techniques like lost-wax method and single bronze casting.
After customs clearance in India and UK, statue arrived in Edinburgh. At unveiling,Siddharth Malik,Consul General of India in Edinburgh,stressed statue's importance . Clare McNaught, president of Royal College of Surgeons,and other medical dignitaries attended.
“The unveiling of the statue is a matter of immense pride for Indians worldwide,”said Dr. Govindaraj,who discussed craftsmanship and statue's significance. Many medical professionals from India present, underscoring global recognition of Sushruta’s surgical contributions .
Alongside statue's installation, Dr. Chandra and colleagues released “Compendium of Sushruta.” Publication includes work from 40 authors across 36 chapters,outlining Sushruta’s enduring impact on surgery and medical science.
Statue to be placed permanently near staircase to Playfair Hall. It will serve as symbolic bridge between ancient Indian surgical traditions and modern surgical excellence. As college Fellows receive degrees,they’ll pass by statue…a nod to heritage shaping today's medicine.
