Ever since the genesis of the first veterinary school in Lyon, France and substantially before that, veterinary sciences have played a critical role in safeguarding the health of animals and maintaining a steady source of the global food supply. The earliest iterations of animal husbandry took shape during ancient civilisations, bridging the nutritional gaps as humans transitioned from hunter-gatherers into settlers. Throughout the ages that followed, the interdependence of animals and humans was greatly accentuated, initiating the necessity of a comprehensive scientific discipline in the form of modern veterinary science. Over the years, multiple theories have been proposed justifying the origin of veterinary science, evidence of which extends back to the Kahun Papyrus in Egypt (Thrusfield, 2007). Shalihotra, a preeminence in equine medicine of ancient India, is widely regarded as the first veterinarian. The mighty Pandavas, Nakula and Sahadeva, were authorities in equine and bovine medicine, respectively.
Kanjanabh Kumar Das (2026) studied this question.