Lakshmikutty

Lakshmikutty
The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presenting the Padma Shri Award to Smt. Lekshmikutty, at the Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 20, 2018.
The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presenting the Padma Shri Award to Smt. Lekshmikutty, at the Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 20, 2018.
Born1943
Kallar, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
NationalityIndian
CitizenshipIndian
AwardsPadma Shri 2018

Lakshmikutty (born 1943) is a tribal woman from Kallar forest area at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, India who received the India's fourth highest civilian honour Padma Shri for her breakthrough in practicing traditional medicine.[1]

Early life

Lakshmikutty is a famous poison healer practicing traditional medicine. She also received Kerala Government's Naattu Vaidya Ratna award in 1995. She is practicing traditional medicine for over 50 years.[2]

She belongs to Kaani tribe and can remember more than 500 varieties of medicine.[3] She has attained the education of 3rd forum and knows Sanskrit.[4] She also writes poems, dramas and is a teacher in Kerala Folklore Academy.[2]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about Lakshmikutty's contributions in his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio programme. People fondly refer to her as ‘Vanamuthassi’ (Grandmother of the jungle in Malayalam) and she gives lectures on natural medicine at various institutions across the southern states.[5]

References

  1. ^ ANI. "Meet Padma Shri awardee Lakshmikutty, a 75-yr-old poison healer from Kerala | Business Standard News". Business-standard.com. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Modi hails herbal healer Lakshmikutty". The Hindu. 20 June 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  3. ^ Adnal, Madhuri (1 January 1970). "Kerala: Meet Tribal 'poison healer' Lakshmikutty who won Padma Awards 2018". Oneindia. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Meet Padma Shri awardee Lakshmikutty, a traditional medicine practitioner in Kerala". Deccanchronicle.com. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Grandmother of the jungle and Medical Messiah: Meet the Padma Shri awardees from Kerala". The News Minute. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.