Chittayil is one of the oldest and traditional families in Kerala, which has given birth to so many luminaries in the cultural history of the land. Traditionally the family delves in Ayurveda therapy and in the due course of time its members turned into various walks of life and put on their mettle. The hierarchy of Panavally might start during the late 18th century with famous Sanku Vaidyar and his father.
Panavally Krishnan Vaidyar, the elder son of Sanku Vaidyar is one of the authentic and pioneering figures in the history of Ayurveda in Kerala especially in Panchakarma treatment. The contribution of Panavally Krishnan Vaidyar in the gamut of Ayurveda is immense. As a traditional Ayurveda practsioner his fame crossed the borders of the country and contributed much to the popularity of Panchakarma. His book Vasthipredeepam is the most authentic and accepted text on Panchakarma, especially Vasthi therapy.
Krishnan Vaidyar was enlisted in official Vaidyars of the ancient princely families of Travancore and Kochi kingdoms. He had an array of successful disciples in this genre of Panchakarma all over India. Panavally Krishnan Vaidyar was also a visionary social reformist, writer, political activist; one of the prominent leaders of the historic Vaikom Sathyagraha, industrialist, and last but not least is an ardent follower of Narayana Guru. He was twice nominated as member of Sree Moolam Prajasabha in the early 1910s. Panavally Krishnan Vaidyar wrote the historic welcome song to Mahathma Gandhi when he was given the first reception in Trivandrum Law College. And the famous martial song of great freedom movement, Varika Varika Sahajare Sahanasamara Samayamy…was written by him.
Panavally Krishnan Vaidyar was the man behind peopling the coir industry in the coastal Kerala. He introduced the brick, clay industries in Southern Kerala and a lot more under the influence of Sree Narayana Guru and the reformative spirit of that time. Panavally Krishnan Vaidyar was Vaidya of Narayana Guru and was with his mentor till the time of Guru’s death. He treated the luminaries like Yeswanth Ambedkar, son of the first Law Minister of the Union of India, Dr. B R Ambedkar, Thantheiperyor E V Ramaswami Nykkar …
Chittayil family entered into the domain of Ayurveda as a service to human kind at the time of late Sri. Sanku Vaidyar. Panavally Krishnan Vaidyar has two sons C.K Padmanabhan Vaidyar and C.K Ragavan Vaidyar. Both of them have already gone with history and received accolades in the field of Ayurveda. The elder son C.K Padmanabhan Vaidyar has his own hierarchy in Ayurveda
He is the son of Panavally Krishnan Vaidyar. He is the founder of this hospital. He was a philanthropist, famous ayurveda practitioner well-versed in Panchakarma treatments. The hospital was inaugurated in the year 1952 by the then Health Minister Madahavan.
Sudheer Vaidyar is an insightful Marma Vaidya and seer and visionary whose insightful interventions has made paradigm shift in the evolution of CKV Hospital. He is considered to be one of the most respected figures in 20th century Kerala. Sudheer Vaidyar was a self made genius and has a lot of disciples in Marma therapy. In 1991 he formed a charitable trust known as Agasthyasram, and bought five acres of land, built a temple for Maha Yogi Sree Agasthyar, the ageless Guru of Gurus, since then 12 other temples came up one by one and the entire temple complex was named “Agasthyasram” in his honor. He is the maternal uncle and guru of Dr. V.R. Suresh.
Dr. V. R. Suresh, youngest son of C.K Ragavan Vaidyar and his wife Dr.Shailaja Suresh is running the hospital now. Very experienced and well carved practioners, they have rare and exceptional career graph.