Taranath Govt Ayurvedic College, Bellary

Campus Location: Bellary

Located in Taranath Government Ayurvedic Medical College, Bellary was a private institute before 1976. Earlier the college was managed by private trust started in the name of Taranath Ayurveda Vidyapeet. Registered Trust was established by the disciples in the name of Pt.Taranathji. Pandit Taranathji established an institute “Premayatana or Prema VidyaPeet” which was under Madras province on the bank of Tungabadra near Tungabadra village, where he used to preach Ayurveda, Yoga, Music, etc., in the Gurukula style. The Ayurvedic diploma offered by this institute was recognized by then Government of Madras., Amongst many famous disciples, Swamy RajaCharya, was one who, inspired by the late Pt. Taranath, had intense desire to propagate Ayurvedic line of treatment and education in the region of Hyderabad Karnataka. Few local likeminded personalities started Ayurvedic teaching and practicing course, first at Kustagi of Koppal District. Later some of his friends joined with him to start a trust in the name of their great teacher, started Taranath Ayurved Vidyapeeth, and an Ayurvedic college at Sanganakal, a Stone Age human inhabitation, in the year June, 1947., Later on, he found much encouragement and local support from philanthropist and educationist like Raghavacharalu, Dr. Venkataramana, Dr.Marala, T.P. Kailasam, Dr. Sheshasena & others, who were also disciples of Pandit Taranath. All those, thought it better and convenient to shift the college from Sangankal to Bellary. Initially, it was started at small building, later shifted to Sri J.Papayya hall, which had more convenient and much more place to conduct theory and practical classes., The College was recognized by the then Government of Madras Province since Bellary district was part of it. In those days the college was offering Vaidya Praveen degree or diploma four year course, recognized by board of indigenous system of medicine, Madras. Many stalwarts of Ayurveda & Allopathic medicine started practicing both systems of medicines separately., Then very active and able principle, Dr. Acchaiah, who was known as a live wire, was popular among the public as an Ayurvedic practitioner, whose popularity was so much that in those days the college hospital was known as Acchaiah hospital. He put a strong foundation to the college in the region. Thus college came to lime light and its students spread all over the Karnataka and outside the state to continue practice and preaching of Ayurvedic system of medicine in their own humble way., In the year 1958-59, it was shifted to the building in Satyanarayana Pet, Bellary, owned by the Pandit Taranath Ayurveda Trust, with all best efforts of the then Principal late Dr.V.Seena and late Venugopalachar, a famous advocate and chairman of the trust. Late Sri Sathyanarayana shetty, the then MLA, donated 4 acres of land to the trust, on the Ananthpur Road of Bellary and trust purchased around 8 acres adjoining land on Anantpur Road (Rajakumar road). During the chairmanship of Late Sri Sathyanarayana Shetty and Secretary of the trust Dr.Sheena Shetty, the present college building was constructed In 1964-65 when Dr.V Sheena was Principal and College was Shifted from Satyanaryanapet to present building .Soon after the completion of the building college was shifted to Ananthpur road Bellary., Then mean while the health minister Sri Diwakar, of Madras state hailing from South Canara, who was also the first health minister of expanded state of Mysore, decided to extend degree course which were integrated (LAMS, Licensed at Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) with combined studies of modern medicine which was recognized by the board of studies in Indian Medicine. It was 1958 onwards, new course of GCIM (Graduate Course in Indian Medicine) an integrated course started at Taranath Ayurvedic College along with other colleges of state. After these courses as a policy of Government of Mysore, 4 years course purely with Ayurvedic subjects, DAM (Diploma In Ayurvedic Medicine) course and 6 months houseman ship started, As a part of national policy Government of Karnataka started a degree course in Ayurveda after Second year PUC in Science on par with MBBS course. The Government of Karnataka started to provide 25% grant to all private Ayurvedic colleges of the state. In 1966-67 under Karnataka University Dharwad BSAM (Bachelor in system of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) course was started at Taranath Ayurvedic College, Bellary. Again there was a change in the name of the degree BSAM to BAMS in 1977-78., The Taranath Ayurveda College and hospital had very dedicated Ayurvedic teacher and practitioners time to time. Some of them are worth remembering like Dr.Acchaiah, Dr.Bhujangarao, Dr.S.C.Hugar, Dr.Panduaraga Achara, Dr,Nagaiah, Dr.M.Eshwarareddy , who brought the college a good name in the entire Karnataka and bordering states. Who trained their students to the society through Ayurveda hence the name of Taranath had been a synonym in the region., Meanwhile Government of Karnataka had appointed a committee headed by Dr.Melkote to tour entire state and to report to the Government, about the conditions and financial soundness of all aided Ayurvedic institutes in the state, to uplift the standards of Ayurvedic education available there.. Use Google Maps for turn-by-turn driving directions to the campus.