Innovating Indian Surgery: Integrating Ayurveda with Contemporary Surgical Science

Background: India is facing an acute shortage of surgeons across specialities, necessitating a critical review of surgical training within Ayurveda education. Both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) Ayurveda curricula include surgical components, with PG students earning an MS (Ayurveda) degree. However, this qualification remains marginalised under the ambiguous label of ‘Ayurvedic Surgery’, which isolates the Ayurvedic surgeons from the mainstream and thus limits their recognition and impact. Rationale: India’s rich surgical heritage, documented in the Sushruta Samhita as early as 1500 bce , is globally acknowledged. Yet, this historical legacy alone certainly does not justify maintaining a separate and suboptimal surgical domain under Ayurveda in the 21st century. At the same time, with approximately 330 Ayurvedic surgeons trained annually, although the number is small, it is important to expand the numbers after upgrading the training of surgeons and ensuring they play a role in the world of Indian and global surgeons. This is especially important in the context of the current surgeon deficit. Discussion: This review advocates for a pragmatic, evidence-based approach to surgical education. Rather than preserving rigid boundaries, it recommends revalidating relevant surgical practices from Ayurveda and integrating them into mainstream medicine. A 10-year roadmap must be developed to build contemporary surgical infrastructure and skilled workforce development. India’s surgical practice must move beyond cultural and disciplinary silos to develop a unified, globally relevant model of surgical education. Such an approach would not only honour the country’s historical contributions but also help meet pressing healthcare needs, shaping the future of Indian surgical practice.