Development in India

The history of Homoeopathy in India can be traced to the early 19th century, to German missionaries treating people on the shores of Bengal. The first account of treatment, however, is mentioned in the travelogue of John Martin Hongberger, ( Late Physician to the Court of Lahore) titled ‘35 Years In The East, Adventures, Discoveries etc.’ He treated the legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab in 1839 with Homoeopathic remedies.

The initial success of Homoeopathy in cholera and other epidemics in Bengal in the 19th century made it a known therapeutic system to the common man. Homoeopathic charitable dispensaries and hospitals were opened, and private practitioners, either disciple of experienced homoeopaths or from self-learning started practicing. The system received a further impetus with the establishment of educational institutions and pharmacies25. The system owes recognition to the concerted efforts of some eminent allopathic practitioners of the time, who opted for Homoeopathy and used it with remarkable success. The efforts of a few institutionally trained homoeopathic physicians also paved the way for the then Bengal Provincial Government to establish the General Council and State Faculty of Homoeopathic Medicine in 1943.

In post independence, the legislatures of Indian States began enacting laws to regulate teaching, practice and research such as the Madras Registration of Practitioners of Integrated Medical Act of 1956 and the Mysore Homoeopathic Practitioners Act of 1961.The Homoeopathic Research Committee constituted in 1963 initiated the process of organized homoeopathic research and identified priority research areas. A combined Research Council to conduct research in Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy was formed initially (1969), and subsequently, the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) was formed (1978). The Council identified broad areas of research and evolved protocols over the years to develop Homoeopathy in the country.

The Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 enacted by the Indian Parliament established the legislative mechanism to regulate homoeopathic practice and education in the country. This ensured that physicians are trained as per certain norms and their and practice is regulated. The National Institute of Homoeopathy was established at Kolkata (1975) as a model institute for undergraduate & postgraduate education and research. The Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Laboratory was also founded in 1975 to lay down principles and standards of preparation of homoeopathic drugs. Due to sustained efforts of the government, an institutional framework of Homoeopathy has been established at the Centre as well as in all the states.