The Ayurveda Classroom: A Conversation About Engagement and Responsibility

The Ayurveda Classroom: A Conversation About Engagement and Responsibility

Inspired by the powerful dialogue between Professor Stephen Malley and his student in “Lions for Lambs” (2007), Dr. Aakash Kembhavi adapts this compelling conversation to address the challenges and responsibilities facing modern Ayurvedic education and clinical practice.

A dialogue between Dr. Aakash Kembhavi and a student about the future of Ayurvedic medicine

The afternoon sun filtered through the windows of Dr. Aakash Kembhavi’s office as he reviewed attendance records. XYZ, one of his brightest students, had been conspicuously absent from recent Panchakosha and Tridosha lectures. When XYZ finally appeared for their scheduled meeting, Dr. Kembhavi didn’t waste time with pleasantries.

Dr. Kembhavi: “You’ve missed six classes in the past month, XYZ. That’s unlike you. What’s going on?”

XYZ: “I’ve been busy, sir. And honestly, I’m not sure these theoretical classes matter much. I mean, we’re just memorizing shlokas and classical formulations that most patients won’t even understand or accept.”

Dr. Kembhavi: “Ah, so you’ve decided that Ayurveda is outdated?”

XYZ: “Not outdated, but… look around, sir. Everyone wants quick fixes. Allopathic medicine dominates. Patients come to us only after everything else fails, expecting miracles. The system is broken. What difference does one more Ayurvedic doctor make?”

Dr. Kembhavi leaned back in his chair, studying his student’s face. He had heard this argument before – the cynicism of bright minds discouraged by systemic challenges.

Dr. Kembhavi: “Tell me, XYZ, what do you plan to do after graduation?”

XYZ: “Probably set up a clinic, prescribe some herbs, maybe add some modern supplements to make it more appealing to urban patients. Keep it simple, keep it profitable.”

Dr. Kembhavi: “So you’ll become part of the very problem you’re criticizing?”

XYZ: “What choice do I have? The system won’t change because I decide to practice ‘pure’ Ayurveda.”

Dr. Kembhavi: “Let me tell you about two students who graduated five years ago. Both came from families where no one had ever been to medical college. Both struggled financially through their studies.”

He pulled out two photographs from his desk drawer.

Dr. Kembhavi: “Student 1 chose to work in tribal areas of Maharashtra, documenting traditional healing practices and integrating them with classical Ayurveda. She’s now training local healers and has established community health programs that serve thousands. The government has started replicating her model.”

“Student 2 went to rural Gujarat, where diabetes and lifestyle disorders were destroying communities. Instead of just prescribing medicines, he created awareness programs about Dinacharya and Ritucharya. He’s now running prevention camps that have reduced disease incidence by 40% in his district.”

XYZ: “That’s inspiring, sir, but they’re exceptions. Most practitioners end up compromising.”

Dr. Kembhavi: “Why do you think that happens?”

XYZ: “Because the system doesn’t support authentic practice. Insurance doesn’t cover Panchakosha treatments. Patients want immediate results. Medical education itself is becoming commercialized.”

Dr. Kembhavi: “You’re absolutely right about the challenges. But here’s what troubles me – you’re using these real problems as justification for your own disengagement. You’re intelligent, you come from a family that can support your ideals, yet you’re choosing to surrender before you’ve even begun.”

XYZ: “What’s the alternative? Struggle for years trying to change a system that doesn’t want to change?”

Dr. Kembhavi: “The alternative is to become part of the solution instead of another casualty of the problem. You say insurance doesn’t cover authentic Ayurveda – then advocate for policy changes. You say patients don’t understand – then educate them. You say medical education is commercialized – then teach better.”

He stood up and walked to the window.

Dr. Kembhavi: “XYZ, do you know why classical texts emphasize the physician’s duty to society? Because Ayurveda was never meant to be just about individual practice. It’s about preserving and advancing a system of knowledge that can heal communities.”

XYZ: “But sir, how can individual efforts make a systemic difference?”

Dr. Kembhavi: “When capable people like you choose disengagement, you leave the field to those who will compromise the principles you claim to care about. The commercialization you criticize? It happens because people with integrity walk away, leaving space for those without it.”

“You want to know the real tragedy? It’s not that Ayurveda is being corrupted – it’s that the very people who could preserve its authenticity are choosing comfort over commitment.”

XYZ: “So what are you suggesting? That I sacrifice my financial security for idealism?”

Dr. Kembhavi: “I’m suggesting you redefine success. Student 1 and Student 2 aren’t wealthy by conventional standards, but they’ve created sustainable models that others are following. They’ve proven that authentic practice can be effective and viable.”

“But more importantly, they’ve answered the question that should keep every Ayurvedic physician awake at night: When this ancient science needed defenders, were you among them, or were you sitting on the sidelines making excuses?”

The room fell silent. XYZ stared out the window, processing the weight of the conversation.

Dr. Kembhavi: “I’m not asking you to choose between idealism and practicality. I’m asking you to choose between engagement and apathy. Between being part of Ayurveda’s renaissance or its gradual decline.”

XYZ: “And if I fail? If my efforts don’t make the difference I hope for?”

Dr. Kembhavi: “Then you’ll fail while trying to uphold something meaningful. But if you don’t try, you’ll succeed only in proving your own cynicism right.”

He returned to his desk and picked up a classical text.

Dr. Kembhavi: “Charaka wrote that a physician’s duty extends beyond individual patients to the welfare of society. That responsibility doesn’t disappear because the task is difficult. If anything, difficulty makes it more urgent.”

XYZ: “What do you want from me, sir?”

Dr. Kembhavi: “I want you to attend your classes. Not just physically, but intellectually and emotionally. I want you to engage with the knowledge as if lives depend on it – because they do.”

“I want you to stop seeing yourself as a victim of circumstances and start seeing yourself as someone capable of changing them.”

XYZ: “And then?”

Dr. Kembhavi: “Then you’ll have to answer the question that every generation of healers must face: Will you be a lion who shapes the future of medicine, or a lamb who follows whatever direction the market takes you?”

The Moral of the Conversation

The exchange between Dr. Kembhavi and XYZ reflects a critical challenge in modern Ayurvedic education: the tendency of capable students to disengage due to systemic obstacles rather than working to overcome them.

The core message resonates beyond individual career choices. When intelligent, principled people withdraw from challenging fields, they leave space for those who may compromise the very values they claim to protect. In Ayurveda, this means that authentic, patient-centered practice gives way to commercial shortcuts and superficial applications.

Dr. Kembhavi’s argument isn’t about blind idealism – it’s about recognizing that meaningful change requires sustained engagement from those best equipped to create it. The examples of Student 1 and Student 2 demonstrate that principled practice isn’t just morally superior; it can be practically effective and professionally sustainable.

The Key Question: As the next generation of Ayurvedic physicians, will you be part of preserving and advancing this ancient science in its authentic form, or will you remain passive observers while others determine its future?

The choice, as Dr. Kembhavi suggests, isn’t just about individual career paths – it’s about the collective responsibility of those entrusted with carrying forward thousands of years of healing wisdom.

In the end, the conversation challenges every Ayurveda student and practitioner to move beyond complaint and cynicism toward active engagement with their field’s most pressing challenges. Because if they don’t step up, who will?

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