Vaidya Brahmasree O. Kesavan Nadar Swami: The pioneer who has elevated the prominence of Marma Sastra in the curriculum of Ayurveda

Abstract This article aims to bring up the professional reminiscences of the great Ayurvedic luminary Brahmasree O. Kesavan Nadar Swami. He was an outstanding Kalari (one of the martial arts of Kerala) and Marma (traditional science dealing with vital energy points of the body) practitioner who lived in the Indian princely state of Travancore of southern India during the era of His Highness Maharaja Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. He flourished to be an eminent scholar of Agasthya Marmasastra . Considering his excellence as a Marma practitioner, he was appointed as a “Granted physician” to the Royal family of Travancore, and he continued his journey as a Marma Vaidya (physician) of the Government Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram, and retired as the Chief Marma physician. The anecdote collected through his descendants is being published to shed light on his life profile and bring this eminent personality’s memoir to the mainstream.