Santhigiri Siddha Medical College (SSMC) was established in 2002 by Santhigiri Ashram, imbibing the vision of its Founder Guru, NAVAJYOTHISREE KARUNAKARA GURU. This college is the first ever Siddha Medical College in Kerala as well as the first outside the state of Tamil Nadu, the cradleof the Siddha system. It is the only Siddha college among the Nine (the other 8 are in Tamil Nadu) in the country, where the medium of instruction is English and not Tamil. Therefore, the doctors coming out of the Santhigiri Siddha Medical College will get a global exposure. At present students from many foreign countries such as Switzerland, Japan etc. have joined the Santhigiri Siddha Medical College.
The Santhigiri Siddha Medical College aims at grooming doctors with a deep understanding and scientific knowledge of the Siddha system in accordance with the system's fundamentals, with extensive practical training, and above all possessing the great principles of the 'Nava Arogya Dharma Siddhantham' (New Doctrine of Healthcare) envisioned by Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru.
This college offers the 'Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery' (BSMS) course. It is affiliated to the University of Kerala and Kerala University of Health Sciencs (KUHS), Thrissur.It is recognised by the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM), New Delhi. The course duration is four-and-a-half years, consisting of 3 Professional Periods of 18 months each followed by a 12-month Compulsory Rotatory Resident Internship (CRRI). Seven batches of students have passed out after completing the course and are well placed professionally
This college is located close to Thiruvananthapuram in serene surroundings. It has an eminent faculty and a good hospital with all specialized departments, good laboratories, an exhaustive library and extensive gardens for medicinal plants. It also has a GMP certified pharmacy for Siddha and Ayurveda drugs, comfortable hostels, a canteen serving vegetarian food and ample extra-curricular facilities.