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Hemchand Manjhi
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Medicine · Chhattisgarh

The Vaidyaraj of Narayanpur

Hemchand Manjhi left school almost before he started it. In the forests of Bastar he found another kind of knowledge, and spent fifty years sharing it with villagers who had few other places to turn.

Hemchand Manjhiहेमचंद मांझी
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Hemchand Manjhi receives the Padma Shri from President Droupadi Murmu, 2024. Photo: via Sangri Times

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Born
1 January 1953
District
Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh
Known as
'Vaidyaraj', traditional healer
Honour
Padma Shri 2024
50+years serving rural communities
1953born
2024Padma Shri

Forest, plants and health

Hemchand Manjhi’s story is tied to the local knowledge of the Bastar region, where forest, medicinal plants and village health have long been linked. The Government of India’s Padma citation records him as a traditional healer of Narayanpur district, known locally as “Vaidyaraj”.

According to the citation, he was born on 1 January 1953 into a poor family. Money and family circumstances meant his schooling ended almost as soon as it began; after his father died he had to herd cattle and shoulder family responsibilities. He later worked as a fire watcher at a Forest Department nursery.

Knowledge turned into service

The citation links the beginning of his healing knowledge to a personal, spiritual experience. That is part of his life story, but it does not prove the clinical effectiveness of any herbal treatment.

Over time he became a well-known name for accessible traditional care among nearby villagers. The citation also says his work has created some local employment.

What his story teaches

In 2024 the Padma Shri gave national recognition to his long record of service and to indigenous knowledge. With almost no formal education, he turned the knowledge of his own surroundings into a lifetime of service.

Local knowledge deserves to be documented and respected. And in matters of health, lived experience and scientific evidence should always be kept separate.

Sources