Cheruvayal Raman, indigenous rice conservationist, dies at 74

Cheruvayal Raman, a prominent tribal farmer and Padma Shri awardee known as the ‘Guardian of Native Paddy,’ has passed away at the age of 74. He died while receiving treatment for cardio-related issues at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.

A member of the Kurichya tribal community, Raman dedicated much of his life to preserving the agro-biodiversity of the Western Ghats. Following the death of his uncle in 1989, he took responsibility for his family farm and eventually launched a mission in 2000 to rescue rare, traditional rice strains from extinction caused by modernization.

Through his efforts, Raman maintained over 55 rare indigenous rice varieties on his land in Wayanad, including staples such as Thondi and Kanali, as well as aromatic cultivars like Jeerakasala. His work transformed his farm into a living gene bank, where he freely shared seeds with other farmers and tribal households to ensure the survival of these ancestral crops.