Kolkata Feb 11 (KNS):  World Unani Day is a global event taking place every year on February 11th, which is the birthday of great physician & Unani scholar, freedom fighter, social reformer and symbol of communal harmony “Hakim Ajmal Khan”. Former Union Health Minister Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad paid glowing tributes to Hakim Ajmal Khan for his outstanding contribution to Unani medicines in India.

While addressing a function on World Unani Day, organised by K.F. Memorial Trust-West Bengal, held at science city Auditorium in Kolkata, Mr Azad said that though the Unani Medicines is an ancient medical science and has been evolving over the centuries, Hakim Ajmal Khan’s efforts during the 19th century in India were unforgettable. “When we talk of the Unani medicine in India, we can’t ignore Hakim Ajmal Khan who evolved the Unani medicine in India with his tireless efforts and passion,” Mr Azad said. He said Khan was called as Messiah-e-Hind among the people for his great healing practices and people would pay him Rs 1000 for consultation charges If they wanted him to travel outside the city. “The amount is itself huge during those days and it reflects his competence and intelligence as Hakim,” Azad said. Mr Azad said that for the native system of Unani medicines, he contributed three prestigious institutions to the country including Hindustani Dawakhana, Central College in Delhi and Tibbia Unani College.

Azad said that it was all due to his untiring efforts that the Unani system of medicine is thriving in our country which otherwise was decaying under British rule. Mr Azad, however, said that Hakim Ajmal Khan was not only a great Unani medicine practitioner but his social and political engagements were so impressive that he was elevated as president to Muslim League- an offshoot of the Indian National Congress followed by All India Khilafat Committee. “Even Mahatma Gandhi in Young India wrote that Hakim Ajmal Khan was a great Musalman and equally a great patriot,” He said. Mr Azad said his contribution to communal harmony and rising above religion and race rewarded him with great respect from across the communities.

Azad also said that with the changing medicinal realities and ongoing research in the Unani medicines, the future is of the Unani system of medicines. He said people are gradually switching over to Unani medicines since it has a huge success rate with no side effects. “People know other medicines are loaded with side-effects but not Unani. So it is yet again dominating the medicines market as an alternative. I am sure, it has a great future ahead,” he said.(KNS)