Dr Mahendra Sing : A Big Loss to Homoeopathy

Dr. Navneet Bidani 

It is with great sadness that I write that a doyen of Homoeopathy, a living authority on Organon of Medicine, great orator, teacher of teachers, Dr. Mahendra Singh has passed away on 15th October 2012 at 3.30 a.m.

On 08.10.12, in morning he had a fall in his room, and had inter-trochanteric fracture of left femur. He was hospitalized and operation was planned for 9th Oct. But due to some anomalies in his blood count and potassium level, Operation was postponed till everything was fine. And ultimately, he was operated on afternoon of 12th Oct. He was fine after operation. But after about 3 hrs, he started giving signs of distress. Ultimately he was put in ICU, then next day on ventilator. But things started going from bad to worse, and he left us in the early morning on Monday the 15th October, 2012.

I pray to God to give the strength to bear this massive loss to Dr. Mahendra Singh’s family and the entire Homoeopathic fraternity.

Dr. Mahendra Singh was born on 1st March 1939 at Ratanpur Village of district Darbhanga, Bihar. He did his graduation from The Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College in 1960. Dr. Mahendra Singh, DMS, MBS was a successful and renowned author for more than 40 years. He was a Professor and Head of the Department of Organon and History of Medicine at The Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital for more than 30 years. His competence and ability as a teacher and author of Organon of Medicine and Homeopathic Philosophy, as a staunch defender of homoeopathy, as brilliant speaker and debater are established beyond question. He was probably the only fulltime teacher who has visited 126 homoeopathic institutions and delivered lectures which has been appreciated. He served the CCH as education committee chairman for several years, initiated refresher courses to teachers of Homoeopathic colleges in an exemplary manner, for which the teacher community shall be indebted to him. He made wonderful work on Organon of Medicine; referred Organon in all languages to find the correct meanings meant by Hahnemann and published an elaborate version of Organon. His latest work – First corrected, re – translated and redacted edition of Organon of Medicine is amazing. He has learnt German to do this great work.

His writings on homoeopathic pharmacy and anomalies in drug manufacturing industry are highly corrective and educative. He did clinical proving of PHYLLANTHUS NIRURI (Bhui Amia) CYERESUS ROTUNDUS (Mutha), LEUCAS ASPERA (Goma) and MIMOSA PUDICA (Lajjawati) and from the toxin of Plotossus angular (Kan-majur). He had organized National Council of Homoeopathic Pharmacists and was constantly fighting for the cause and problems of homoeopathic manufacturers, chemists and druggists and for the preparation of drugs from green plants instead of the in vogue dry plants.

Another unique and great contribution is on the field of History of Medicine and History of Homoeopathy. Inspired by Dr. Dewan Harish Chand and encouraged and backed by the most renowned homoeopathic physicians of today’s India he organized seminars, displayed slides, and printed Booklets on life and works of more than 50 late and lamented homoeopaths.

Apart from that all he could read and write Hindi, Bengali, English, German, Maithili, Bhojpuri, and in addition to it, he could speak fluently Urdu, Qriya and some other dialects and languages.  He is known for his concern to the poor, downtrodden and suffering people.

Professor Mahendra Singh’s Achievements: 

Past-President	Homoeopathic Medical Association of India (HMAI)
Past-President	Calcutta Homoeo. Medical College Teachers’ Council
Hony. Secretary	West Bengal Homoeopathic (Degree) College Staff  Association
Secretary General	All India Homoeopathic Teachers’ Council
Vice-President	West Bengal Homoeopathic Teachers’ Association
Chairman	Post Graduate Studies Committee, West Bengal Homoeopathic Teachers’ Association
President	West Bengal, State Branch : Indian Homoeopathic Medical League
Ex-Chairman	Committee for History of Indian Homoeopathy
Director Education	Bengal Medical Union
Member	Homoeo. Literature Research, Correction & Standardization Committee
Vice-President	Indian Drugs Research Foundation
Director/Secretary	International Institute of History of Homoeopathy
Examiner of Board & Universities
Literary Work	Editor : Homoeo Darpan (Bengali) Chief Editor : Homoeopathic Light (English)

Books & Publications:

1964. Questions & Answers on Organon of Medicine, Part 1 & 11.
1967. Essays on Homoeopathy.
1967. Organon of Medicine (Bengali).
1967. Sankshipt Homoeo Chikitsha (Bengali).
1968. Homoeopathic Materia Medica (Bengali).
1969. A Text Book of Homoeopathic Materia Medica.
1970. Questions on Organon of Medicine.
1970. Saha’s Practice of Medicine (3 Vols)
1972. Chronology of History of Medicine.
1975. Life and Works of Hahnemann.
1976. Scope & Limitations of Homoeopathy.
1976. Anamnesis & Diagnosis.
1976. Pathology & Homoeopathy.
1984. Homoeopathy: Why? When? When not? (Hindi, Bengali, Urdu, Qriya).
1987. Clinical Therapeutics & Repertory of Indian drugs.
1988. Notes on Homoeopathic Philosophy.
1992. Tongue Indications.

Biographies of: Boenninghausen, H.C. Allen, Lippe, Hering. Dudgeon, Burnett, Hartmann, Franz, Aegidi, Stapf, Honigberger, Mahendra Lal Sircar, P.C. Majumdar, J.N. Majumdar, S.C. Ghosh, B.K. Sarkar, B.K. Bose, etc. etc.

Dr. Mahendra Singh’s demise is an irreparable loss to the Homoeopathic Fraternity. His writings will live with us and he will always be remembered for all the great things he has done for our wonderful healing art.

“He who always set up a minimum standard for me to attain, which again has made me work hard and harder, and who by being an example has inspired me to work more and more”. These words of Dr. Subhash Singh about his father Dr. Mahendra Singh holds well not only for him but for the entire homoeopathic family.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.

By: Dr. Navneet Bidani
www.drbidani.com