Dr. Palitha Serasinghe elected British Ayurvedic Medical Council President

Dr. Palitha Serasinghe

In a landmark development for Ayurvedic medicine in the United Kingdom, Dr. Palitha Serasinghe, a globally recognised Consultant Ayurveda Physician, has been elected President of the British Ayurvedic Medical Council (BAMC). 

The announcement was made at the Council’s annual general meeting in London, underscoring a new chapter in leadership for the body that represents and regulates Ayurvedic professionals across the UK. Dr. Mahesh Matpati was elected General Secretary, Dr. Danica Bezanov as Vice President, Romani Rix as Registrar, Dr. Raghunandan Sharma as Assistant Secretary, and Angela Hope-Murray as Treasurer. 

Founded to promote the safe, ethical and high-quality practice of Ayurveda throughout Britain, the British Ayurvedic Medical Council serves as the nation’s lead register for Professional Associations of Ayurveda, Ayurvedic practitioners, doctors and therapists. BAMC works to uphold standards of education, clinical practice and professional conduct, while supporting research, training and community engagement in this traditional healthcare system. The Council also plays an important role in connecting practitioners and health-seeking members of the public with accredited Ayurvedic professionals. 

Dr. Serasinghe steps into the Presidency with decades of distinguished service in Ayurveda spanning Asia and Europe. He studied at Royal College, Colombo 7 and is a graduate in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery with First-Class Honours from the Institute of Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, he subsequently completed a PhD in Medicine and Pharmacology in Japan, blending traditional expertise with rigorous scientific training. He was the first and only Ayurveda graduate to receive a scholarship from Japanese government (MONBUSHO) to study and research Medicine for the postgraduate training at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Japan.  

His early career was rooted in Sri Lanka, where he was a senior lecturer, Head of Department and Consultant Ayurveda Physician at the University of Colombo’s Ayurveda Teaching Hospital, contributing significantly to clinical practice, education and research in his homeland. Among his numerous valuable services to Ayurveda and Traditional Medicine in Sri Lanka, formulating and implementing an Institutional and National Ayurveda Research Policy, playing a key role in establishing Postgraduate Diploma and MPhil courses at the university for the first time in Sri Lanka. 

Dr. Serasinghe’s influence expanded internationally when he moved into academic and clinical roles in Japan. There, he helped establish Ayurvedic teaching programmes and trained a new cohort of therapists, fostering cross-cultural exchange and expanding the reach of Ayurveda in East Asia. 

In the United Kingdom, Dr. Serasinghe has been a central figure in advancing Ayurvedic education and integration. He has served as Principal Lecturer, Assistant Director and Programme Leader at leading Ayurvedic academic institutions, including roles tied to Middlesex University and the College of Ayurveda. His work as a Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London under a Commonwealth Fellowship—becoming the first Ayurveda physician to receive such a fellowship—and his role as a consultant physician have helped bridge traditional Ayurvedic knowledge with contemporary clinical settings.

A spokesperson for BAMC said: “Dr. Serasinghe brings unparalleled experience and vision to the role. His dedication to evidence-informed practice, cross-cultural training, and public engagement reflects the Council’s mission to support Ayurveda’s professional development in the UK.”

Throughout his career, Dr. Serasinghe has published and presented research on herbal pharmacology, clinical treatments and traditional Ayurvedic practices, contributing to a broader understanding of how ancient and modern health sciences can complement one another. He has received ‘Srimathi Indrani Research Award for Arthritis Research’ given by the University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka, ‘Ayurveda Chakravarti’ by the World Brahmins Association, India and the ‘Ayurveda Ratna’ by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Sciences at the Parliament of United Kigdom in London.

His election marks a milestone for the British Ayurvedic Medical Council, and signals continued growth for Ayurveda as part of the UK’s diverse health landscape. Dr. Serasinghe has outlined priorities for his term that include strengthening practitioner standards, expanding public access to safe Ayurvedic care, and enhancing educational pathways for future professionals.

The Council and its newly appointed President are expected to continue building strong links between Ayurveda communities worldwide—reflecting Dr. Serasinghe’s career-long commitment to global health, education and traditional medicine advocacy.