Palakkad, Sept. 16:
The three-day Kerala Tribal Congress 2025 commenced today at Sree Narayana College, Alathur, in collaboration with KIRTADS and UNESCO Chair on Indigenous Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development, University of Calicut. The national conference is themed “Tribal Disease Susceptibility, Wild Edibles and Traditional Food Systems for Sustainable Health.”
The event was inaugurated by Sri. K. Radhakrishnan, Hon’ble MP, Alathur, in the presence of Ms. M.S. Madhavikutty, IAS, District Collector, Palakkad, and Sri. Raj Kalesh, Chef and TV host. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. S. Bindu, Director, KIRTADS, while Padmasree Cheruvayal Raman was felicitated for his contributions to tribal heritage.
In her presidential address, Smt. Praveena Vijayan, Principal of Sree Narayana College, emphasized the importance of integrating traditional tribal knowledge with modern research for sustainable health practices. Dr. T.V. Sajeev, Chief Scientist, KFRI Peechi, delivered a keynote speech on “Reclaiming Tribal Health: Land, Knowledge and Dignity.”
The first day featured discussions on “Rice and Tribal Food Traditions” with Padmasree Cheruvayal Raman in conversation with celebrity chef Raj Kalesh, and panel sessions on communicable diseases among tribes, tribal food resilience, and indigenous medicinal knowledge.
The conference aims to explore disease susceptibility among tribal communities, document traditional food practices, and highlight the role of wild edibles in biodiversity conservation and nutrition.
The event will continue till September 18, featuring paper presentations, panel discussions, and cultural expressions by tribal communities. Selected research papers will be published in a special ISBN volume.
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