Hari Pangi Leads Efforts to Promote Indigenous Medicine and Climate Protection in Tribal Communities

Koraput, March 28: Tribal researcher and traditional healer Hari Pangi has been making sustained efforts for many years to combat climate change and promote the conservation of medicinal forests.
In the Deomali region and surrounding hills and villages of Koraput district, he has planted lakhs of medicinal and rain-inducing trees, drawing widespread appreciation. He has identified more than 500 medicinal plants and has been practicing traditional healing for over 20 years.
Hari Pangi participated in an international conference on climate change and biodiversity held in the United States under the International Visitors Leadership Training program. There, he successfully presented data on the traditional medicinal plants of Koraput district and their impact on climate, bringing recognition to the region and the country.
A resident of Tentuliguda village under Semiliguda block in Koraput district, he serves as Secretary of the Sri Gupteswar Herbal Medicine and Traditional Technology Research Centre. Through his research, he has identified over 500 medicinal plants. Among them, 105 plants are being used to treat 117 different diseases.
For more than two decades, he has continued practicing traditional medicine, using inherited indigenous knowledge passed down through generations. He is conducting ongoing research on medicinal plants capable of alleviating symptoms of 10 to 15 different diseases.
The research centre provides treatment for ailments such as diabetes, appendicitis, sickle cell disease, heart disease, neurological disorders, paralysis, oral cancer, osteoporosis, kidney problems, and sinusitis. Since 2000, he has been focusing on medicinal plant and disease research, while also searching for climate-resilient plants essential for environmental protection.
The centre attracts patients from 17 states and 30 districts of Odisha. Every month, nearly 3,000 to 4,000 patients receive traditional treatment there.
Hari Pangi began his career as a farmer. For his dedication and practical expertise in agriculture, he has received recognition at both state and national levels from government and voluntary organizations. He continues to work toward conserving plants that can adapt to changing climate conditions and safeguard human health.
His goal remains to carry forward research on medicinal plants to combat new and emerging diseases.