LITERARY RESEARCH PROGRAMME

The research programme of the council has been so devised that not only the System could stand on solid scientific foundations and be acceptable to the scientific world but also its philosophy could be reflected through its rich literature. The classical literature relating to the Unani System of Medicine is scattered in private and public libraries and at times, is not within the reach of scholars and researchers. A good number of manuscripts are available in various libraries.  Some manu­scripts are in dilapidated condition and valuable information there in has got to be obtained before they got completely de­stroyed.  Some manuscripts are very rare and old.  The responsibility to make full use of the information contained therein rest with the scholars of today.  To get full advantage of the rich experience of ancient scholars, to get all the valuable knowledge of Unani System of Medicine, rendered in to national and International languages and to have standard books, the Council has taken up the programme of Literary Re­search. The programme aims at the following:

• Collection and preservation of source material on Unani Medicine
• Documentation of information related to Unani Medicine
• Promotion of access to Unani manuscripts
• Translation of classical Unani Texts written originally in Arabic and Persian
• Compilation of references relating to drugs and therapeutics from classical treatises
• Standardization of Unani medical terms
• Reproduction of classical literature on Unani Medicine

Initially two Literary Research Units- one each in Lucknow and Aligarh- were established in 1972 under Central Council for Research in Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy (CCRIMH).  Later two more units- one each in Hyderabad and Patna were established in 1979 under CCRUM.  A Literary Research Institute of Unani Medicine (LRIUM) was established in the premises of Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi in 1986 after merger of the four units. The institute was renamed as ‘Hakim Ajmal Khan Institute for Literary & Historical Research in Unani Medicine’ (HAKILHRUM) and re-located in the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi in 2015.

Achievements

The Literary Research Programme of the Council has rendered valuable services in the development of Unani System of Medicine through the following:

• Translation of 61 classical Unani books written originally in Arabic and Persian.Tto mention; Uyoon al-Anba fi Tabqat al-Atibba, Kitab al-Kulliyat, Kitab al-Hawi, Kitab al-Jami li Mufredat, Kitab al-Mansoori, Kitab al-Mukhtarat, Kitab al-Umda, Kitab al-Tayseer, Muhit-i Azam have been brought out
• Standardization of more than 4000 Unani Medical terms. The project is continuing
• Compilation of  10 books
• Reprinting  74 rare and classical books
• Preparation of 2400 reference cards of  Tibbi manuscripts after survey of certain libraries and reservoirs having Unani medical manuscripts   
• Development of Unani Treatment Guidelines for Common Diseases. Two volumes have been published so far
• Compilation of database of Postgraduate Studies in Unani Medicine. Two volumes have been published so far

Two National seminars- first   on ‘Literary and Historical Research in Unani Medicine’ in 2007 and the second on ‘Hakim Ajmal Khan’s Multidimensional Personality and Enduring Contributions’ in  2016 were organized