Year: 2026
Type: editorial
Abstract: The Sushruta Samhita, composed around 600 BCE, stands as the earliest comprehensive treatise on surgery and medical ethics, offering a systematic framework that predates and rivals Greco-Roman medical traditions. Detailing more than 300 surgical procedures and 120 instruments, it pioneered techniques such as rhinoplasty, cataract extraction, and fracture management, while simultaneously establishing principles of patient consent, compassion, and professional integrity. Despite its profound influence, colonial historiography marginalized Sushruta’s contributions, perpetuating a Eurocentric narrative of medical progress. This editorial argues for the reclamation of Sushruta’s legacy as a cornerstone of global surgical heritage. By situating his work alongside Hippocrates and Galen, and recognizing its enduring relevance in modern surgical pedagogy and ethics, the article calls for integration of the Sushruta Samhita into global medical curricula. Reclaiming this text is not merely an act of historical correction but a vital step toward a more inclusive and accurate understanding of the origins of surgery.
Authors: Umapati C. Baragi, Jyoti M. Ganer
Institution: Uttarakhand Ayurved University
Language: English
Topic: History of Medicine Studies
Subfield: History
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7203900243