But the true success of the summit lay in the presentations made by over 90 speakers from various fields of holistic healing. These included Kakkibli’Dthia Warrawee’a, an Australian aboriginal spiritual teacher and healer, who shared the wisdom of Aboriginal healing, the oldest healing tradition on earth. Dr Susi Reich from Argentina discussed her work on incorporating integrated medicine into family counseling and the results she had achieved with patients.

Among Indian speakers, Dr Darshan Shankar discussed his research work on local health cultures of southern India, and his efforts to promote their integration into the medical mainstream. Prof S.S. Moharana, from the B.D. jatti Homoeopathic Medical College in Karnataka, discussed his new synergistic approach to

homeopathic treatments. And Deepak Chopra left the audience in transformed state with his brilliant speech on the Vedas and quantum physics. The summit also discussed the overall social responsibility of healing. Horst Rechelbacher, founder of the Horst M. Rechelbacher Foundation, a major sponsor of the event, spoke on the true meaning of business and its responsibilities towards people’s health and the planet’s environmental sustainability.

Inspired by the proceedings at the summit, the participants resolved to establish an International Institute for Integrative and Holistic health in Bangalore. This institute will promote education, R&D, and dissemination of integrated and holistic healing science.

Holistic and Integrated Medicines for the 21st Century. This was the themes of the week-long Global Holistic Health Summit, which was attended by over 500 people from 35 nations-healers and patients, skeptics and believers. Noted Bangalore-based homoeopath Dr Issac Mathai, who is also a strong proponent of integrated medicine, organized the conference. The summit opened on January 12 with a message of blessing from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar delighted the audience with his childlike and yet profound expositions on health, life and happiness.

You don`t have to know that the Duchess of York, George Harrison, Tina Turner and Sting are his patients. Or that he zips around 30 countries every year bringing succour to the ill. You don`t have to know that he is the President of the Academy of Holistic Medicine (India). or that he is planning the world`s first International Holistic Health Center in Bangalore (an integrated medicine hospital), of which he is to be the medical director.

You don`t have to know these things because success has left its eloquent calling card in Dr. Issac Mathai`s clinic and person.

At first glance, Dr. Mathai may appear the archetypal celebrity doctor - all chrome and glass, spit and polish. His clinic the Homeopathic Medical center at Bangalore`s up market Richmond Plaza, is plush dark and quite. The man himself is impeccably dressed in an expensive suit.

But Mathai`s success story hinges upon a delicate balancing act between style and substance, appearance and reality. While the clinic may be deluxe, its trump card lies in Dr. Mathai`s integrity honesty and sense of caring. "This bottom line of healing is how much you care," he says "and in the courage to tell the truth"

Dr. Mathai came into limelight in 1996, when the media came to know that Sarah Ferguson , The duchess of York, was visiting him for some rest and rejuvenation.

So how does an obscure homeopath from kerala reach this inviable state? Dr. Mathai comes, as he puts it, from a very good homeopathic background. His mother ran a homeopathic clinic in kerala and the young lad helped her treat patients. Graduation from kerala`s ANSS Medical College, One of the best homeo colleges in the country, helped, as did encounters with several remarkable people.

Dr. Mathai with Sarah Ferguson(center) and his wife: celebrity doc good homeopathic background. His mother ran a homeopathic clinic in kerala and the young lad helped her treat patients. Graduation from kerala`s ANSS Medical college, one of the best homeopathic colleges in the country, helped as did encounters with several remarkable people. Yet, Ultimately there is something inexplicable about his raise to the international status - perhaps a case of the universe and the individual being is perfect alignment.

Take, for instance his first foray in international waters at the World Homeopathy Conference in France in 1975. India had already despatched its official representative, and there was little chance for an individual as to gate crash the gathering. Using his multi-system knowledge, Mathai sent a paper to the Conference on yogic management in homeopathic treatment. the subject was intriguing enough to merit an invitation.

The doctors good luck continued when he went to England for his post graduation . To support his studies, Mathai signed up with 101 Clinic. "The clinic had many celebrity clients from Hollywood, such as Tina Turner. I taught meditation and nose washing (neli)," says Dr. Mathai.

Having assisted his mother with the management of acute diseases, an area unknown to homeopathic doctors in England, Mathai`s ascent was smooth. Within three months, he was promoted to the post of physician in the clinic, and in six months he was off on his first foreign jaunt.

At this clinic Dr. Mathai honed himself in holistic medicine. Today, he calls himself an international holistic health consultant. Apart from homeopathy, Dr. Mathai has specialised in yoga, ayurveda, Chinese pulse diagnosis.

Inevitably, the doctor has refreshingly open mind towards all branches of medical practice. "The ultimate aim is patients welfare," he says. "The doctors role is to initiate the healing process and if other procedures can help, why not? In cardiac and cancer cases, Dr Mathai works in consultation with allopaths.

As of now, all his energies are concentrated on the establishment of International Holistic Center. The concept emerged from the first international Conference on Holistic Health and Medicine.

When it came to choosing the place for the center, Dr. Mathai was adamant.

"I said India," he recalls "India has five flourishing medical systems : allopathy, ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani and siddha, besides other therapies like naturopathy and Tibetan medicine." The decision to establish an International centre where patients could avail of various therapies and which could offer facilities for research and training was mooted and the task fell upon Dr. Mathai`s shoulders.

This decision lead to Dr. Mathai`s shifting to Bangalore.

"Today with three month waiting list and clinics in the U.S and London, Dr. Mathai is sitting pretty. says Asha Kapoor, 56, housewife: " Three years ago when I went to Dr. Mathai, I was using steroids to control my asthma. Within a month of seeing him, I was off my Ventolin inhaler, and my mental and physical well-being improved. His treatment has worked wonders."

"A doctor should be a combination of counsellor, guru and healer," muses Dr. Mathai. "He needs to be a patient listener and have a genuine interest in the patients welfare.

Says Priscilla Mascrehans, wife of an allopath, whom Dr. Mathai helped tide over menopause : "He may be expensive compared to the other homeopaths, but his medicine is worth every penny it costs."

For those who cannot afford the charges , Dr. Mathai has charitable dispensary in Bangalore run by one of his assistants. But there is no difference in the quality of medicine.

For Dr. Mathai, substance must have a patina of polish to be palatable. Perhaps that is the direction for the holistic medicine in order to be taken seriously. And when appearance is coupled with an attitude that says "I take no credit for healing. It is the grace of God that heals", and you know that the basics are all right.

The holistic center will have all i house facilities, offering suits, rooms and other accommodation options, and will be situated on a 40 acres of landscaped gardens, including an organic vegetable farm, an equestrian club and recreational facilities.

All this at a price, Dr. Mathai candidly admits that the center is aimed at his international clientele. If all goes well the centre will open shortly.

Dr. Issac Mathai, medical Director of Bangalore Holistic Medical Centre where he practices homeopathy and holistic health, is 36 and making big news. Sarah Ferguson the duchess of York, was in Bangalore recently to consult with him.

Almost 30 years ago as a child. Issac Mathai was watching his mother, a homeopath, treat her patients, he asked her two simple questions. "How does healing happen? How can you cure diseases by giving medicine?" She told him "Our bodies have the healing power that is god-given power. Sometimes you have to stimulate the bodies healing power. The role of the medicine is to help the healing process." This is a great sense formed by touch stone of a life long belief and commitment that Dr. Mathai

has relentlessly worked towards -in the wholeness and uniqueness of the individual and in the holistic system of treatment. As a student of the ANSS Homeopathic Medical College in Kerala, he was influenced by his professor who was an allopathic MD who had studied acupuncture, yoga therapy, homeopathy and whose main practice was homeopathy. "When I saw this I thought, why should anybody who is an MD change to homeopathy? My Interaction with him influenced me a lot." His closest friend in medical school came from a seven generation family of ayurvedic practitioners who were bone setters. " Long before he joined the medical school." Dr. Mathai recalls, "My friend without seeing an X-Ray could say what was wrong with the bone by merely feeling it, and could correct it too.

After completing college, Dr. Mathai started working with his mother. He also worked with Dr. Abhram, MD, An allopathic doctor who practiced polypathy. "Polypathy means multiple therapy-homeopathy, naturopathy, acupuncture, and yoga therapy- and I saw that even with asthma, polypathic treatment worked that opened my eyes, and I thought, Yes. there is a wide scope of chronic diseases to be treated with homeopathy with support from other therapies. Dr. Mathai believes in a multi-system of disciplines put together for better health, as he says, If you can cut across disciplines in barriers you can see the wholeness. " I studied a number of therapies and realised that a combination of different people can do a much better job, than something being done by only one person."