The State-Level Tribal Healers’ Meet 2025 was inaugurated today at the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI) in Bhubaneswar.
The event, organised at the state level, saw participation from several eminent guests, including Shri B. Parameswaran, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the ST, SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department; Prof. (Dr.) A.B. Ota, former Director of SCSTRTI and tribal expert; Dr. Ved Priya Arya, Head of the Research Division at Patanjali Research Institute; Sudhakar Sabar, Director of SCSTRTI; and Shri Santosh Kumar Rath, Deputy Director, along with other dignitaries.
In his address, Commissioner-cum-Secretary B. Parameswaran emphasized the need to preserve tribal knowledge systems and traditional healing practices. He highlighted the importance of integrating scientific and modern knowledge with indigenous Ayurvedic medicine to enhance its reach and relevance.
Prof. (Dr.) A.B. Ota stressed the importance of collective efforts in safeguarding tribal healing traditions. He called for the validation of traditional practices by tribal healers and advocated for institutional collaboration through SCSTRTI.
Dr. Ved Priya Arya discussed the rich heritage of Ayurveda and stressed the urgent need for proper documentation of traditional Ayurvedic knowledge.
In his welcome address, Sabar emphasised the preservation of traditional medicinal practices and the necessity of providing platforms for tribal healers to share and showcase their expertise.
The two-day program aims to honour tribal knowledge systems, facilitate knowledge exchange, and strengthen the documentation of indigenous healing practices passed down through generations. The event features technical sessions and panel discussions led by experts in anthropology, botany, Ayurveda, and public health, as well as 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, the State Medicinal Plant Board, the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Patanjali Research Institute, the Institute of Life Sciences, the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, AYUSH, and AIIMS are participating in the event. Tribal healers from various districts of Odisha have also 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 in attendance. Additionally, 120 participants, including students from KIIT, Utkal University, and various other universities, as well as PhD scholars engaged in research, are participating in this two-day program.
