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Himalaya's story began way back in 1930. A curious young man riding through the forests of Burma saw restless elephants being fed the root of a plant, Rauwolfia serpentina, which helped pacify them. Fascinated by the plant's effect on elephants, this young man, Mr. M. Manal, the founder of Himalaya, wanted to scientifically test the herb's properties.

With no money and only a pocketful of dreams, he pawned his mother's jewelry to buy a hand-operated tableting machine. The years that followed were a time of endurance and a test of the young man's patience, strength and passion. He spent his days learning about herbs from neighborhood healers and his nights working on the machine to make a few hundred tablets. His vision was to 'bring the traditional Indian science of Ayurveda to society in a contemporary form'.

In a time when herbal products were regarded with scepticism, our founder's belief in the healing power of herbs was unwavering. He felt that if people were offered safe and effective herbal medicines, they would come to accept them as part of their healthcare routine. He believed that herbal medicines could and should be evaluated on the same quality and efficacy parameters as conventional medicine. This was possible through empirical research. Once scientific research proved that herbal products worked, even doctors could be won over. This was a big dream with big challenges. But he persevered on despite the obstacles.

After four years of researching the herb Rauwolfia serpentina, Serpina®, the world's first natural antihypertensive drug was launched in 1934.

The discovery set the future course for Himalaya. It taught us the value of scientific research. It also taught us the importance of patience, passion and perseverance. We have since focused on converting Ayurveda's herbal tradition into a range of proprietary formulations dedicated to healthy living and longevity.

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