Late Dr. K. P. Muzumdar- (06-11-1933 to 01-10-2012)
B.Sc., D.M.S., M.F.(Hom) Malasia
Dr. K.P Mazumdar symbolised humility, dignity and a storehouse of knowledge. A man who had occupied many of the prestigious positions in the field of Homoeopathy, yet very frank in his opinions, honest and very down to earth in his demeanours. He could mingle with a first-year student as well as an experienced professor with equal ease.
He had been associated with many organisations to his credit. He was instrumental in the formation of an autonomous body, both in education as well as research namely; National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata and Central council of research in Homoeopathy, New Delhi in which he had served as a director respectively.
He wanted to achieve qualitative standardization in all Homoeopathic drugs manufactured in India. He served as the chairman, Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Committee, Govt. of India for a considerable period.
Born in Karwar on 6th November 1933, Karnataka and lived in Bandra, Mumbai most of his life. He had a running clinic at Mahim, Mumbai and teaching homoeopathic therapeutics was very close to his heart. Dr. Muzumdar taught in Bombay Homoeopathic Medical College, Nehru Homoeopathic Medical College, Delhi. He was a visiting professor at Shri Kamaxidevi Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Shiroda, Goa. He had also extended his services as an Emeritus Professor at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University and also as a visiting Professor at Manitoba Institute of Homoeopathy, Winnipeg, Canada. His services at all these places are remembered with appreciation by all colleagues and students. Even till his last he came in a wheelchair into the classroom to deliver his masterpiece compilations of all his experiential learnings that he had so meticulously gathered in his practice of more than four decades.
He had immensely contributed to homoeopathic literature. His books on Homoeopathic Pharmacy and Medicine Therapeutics were the trend setters of early days.
His first book “Pharmaceutical science in Homoeopathy and Pharmacodynamics” was first written when he realised an earnest need to put forth before the students a very structured course material in the subject of Pharmacy. This contained apart from main course content details of 74 monographs- contained identification of raw material, method of preparation of homoeopathic mother tinctures. He also mentioned the description of the body types found among humans and their individual tendencies and their relevance in drug proving.
His second book: “Textbook of Homoeopathic Therapeutics with clinical approach” deals with system wise study of clinical conditions. And his corelation with case-based approach to therapeutics is really noteworthy. He had dealt with stage-wise representation of clinical features along with their miasmatic aspects and gradually delving into zone of therapeutic indications thereof. The language used by him was very apt and every drug description began with a brief overview. This book ran into three editions. Two editions during his lifetime and a posthumous edition after his demise. His book covered more than 270 clinical conditions and is still available with B. Jain publishers by the name of “Homoeopathy its fundamentals and treatment comprehensive homoeopathic therapeutics with notes on disease diagnosis and management”. Two of his students from college in Mumbai Dr. (Mrs) Alpana Nabar L.C.E.H, his daughter, Dr Mandar Patwardhan B.H.M.S and Dr. (Mrs) Sneha Karandikar assisted him in the completion of these editions. This book goes down as his last monumental work and the best of his life, for practitioners, it gives appropriate and prominent therapeutics at a glance, Thus, it can be called as a modern format of Lilienthal’s work on therapeutics. He was felicitated in 2009 by National Institute of Homoeopathy for his service to humanity.
At 79 years Dr Muzumdar Sir passed away peacefully after a brief illness on 1st October 2012. A condolence meet was organised on Sunday 7th October 2012 at M.I.G Club, Bandra(E), Mumbai. But he continues to be remembered in the hearts of his students and colleagues as a happy teacher who spread the joy of homoeopathic education with an excellent command over English as well as the subject of Medicine and Homoeopathic therapeutics.
Author:
Dr. Rajiv Rui Viegas Peres
Associate Professor, Department of Organon of Medicine
Aarihant Homoeopathic Medical College & R.I, Swarrnim University.
