State-Level Tribal Healers’ Meet Inaugurated Preservation of Indigenous Ayurvedic Knowledge and Healing Practices is Essential: Guests

Bhubaneswar, 25 November 2025:The State-Level Tribal Healers’ Meet 2025 was inaugurated today at the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI), Bhubaneswar. The event, organised at the state level, witnessed the participation of several eminent guests, including Shri B. Parameswaran, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, ST, SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department; Prof. (Dr.) A.B. Ota, former Director, SCSTRTI and tribal expert; Dr. Ved Priya Arya, Head, Research Division, Patanjali Research Institute; Shri Sudhakar Sabaro, Director, SCSTRTI; and Shri Santosh Kumar Rath, Deputy Director, along with other dignitaries.

Addressing the gathering, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Shri B. Parameswaran emphasised the need to preserve tribal knowledge systems and traditional healing practices. He highlighted the importance of integrating modern scientific knowledge with indigenous Ayurvedic medicine to expand its reach and relevance. Prof. (Dr.) A.B. Ota underscored the importance of collective efforts in safeguarding tribal healing traditions. He stressed the need for validating the traditional practices of tribal healers and called for institutional collaboration through SCSTRTI.

Dr. Ved Priya Arya, Head of the Research Division at Patanjali Research Institute, spoke about the rich heritage of Ayurveda and the urgent need for proper documentation of traditional Ayurvedic knowledge. In his welcome address, Shri Sudhakar Sabar emphasised the preservation of traditional medicinal practices and highlighted the importance of providing platforms for tribal healers to share and demonstrate their knowledge.

The two-day programme aims to honour tribal knowledge systems, facilitate knowledge exchange, and strengthen documentation of indigenous healing practices passed down through generations. The event features technical sessions and panel discussions by experts in anthropology, botany, Ayurveda, and public health, along with live demonstrations of indigenous healing therapies. A special exhibition on native medicinal plants has also been organised, where tribal healers will share their personal experiences and traditional practices.

Experts from Utkal University, State Medicinal Plant Board, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Patanjali Research Institute, Institute of Life Sciences, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, AYUSH, and AIIMS are participating in the event. Tribal healers from various districts of Odisha have joined the meet.

A total of 35 tribal healers representing communities such as Soura, Gond, Lanjia Soura, Bathudi, Bhuyan, Paraja, Bhatra, Bonda, Santhal, Kandha, Kisan, Munda, Oraon, Bhumija, and Kandha Gouda are attending. In addition, 120 participants took part in this two-day programme, including students from KIIT, Utkal University & various universities, as well as PhD scholars engaged in research.