While celebrating International Day of World’s Indigenous People, Sukinda Chromite Mine (SCM) of Tata Steel in Jajpur district of Odisha organised a workshop today on Tribal Medicinal Practices – Green Therapy.

15 tribal and traditional medicinal practitioners from around Sukinda including one woman and 10 from around Bamnipal in Keonjhar district from tribes like Sabara, Munda, Majhi participated in the workshop. They displayed the plants, herbs, roots, tubers, stems from which they have been preparing medicines and healing people for generations. From common ailment of cold and cough to diseases like diabetic, migraine, rheumatism, etc. were discussed.

The traditional healers explained the process of preparing medicines and treatment to the gathering and there was exchange of ideas with experts who were guests on the occasion including Dr Paramanada Patel from Academy of Language and Tribal Culture, Bhubaneswar, Government of Odisha and Dr Sanjib Das, Assistant Professor, Gopabandhu Ayurvedic College, Puri. Dr Das identified the plants and clarified the scientific process behind the treatment while expressing his surprise at the knowledge of the healers about plants and their medicinal value.

Appreciating the initiative of Tata Steel Dr Sanjib Das, said programmes like these will go a long way in enriching the traditional methods of treatment which need to be scientifically certified and at the same time identifying and discouraging unscientific methods of healing. Dr Patel urged good practices of treatment, dietary habits among the tribals must be documented for posterity and further research for refining the process.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rajesh Patel, Chief, Sukinda Chromite Mine, Tata Steel said this is an initiative to provide a platform for exchange of knowledge on good medicinal practices of local tribals with experts and create awareness on the subject. Some of the participants from here will go to Jamhshedpur to participate in a national level programme on tribal medicinal methods to be organised by Tata Steel in coming months.

This is part of a series of activities SCM has been doing like Spot the Species, Leaf Identification, Jaibakala Vividhata, Snakes are Friends, Conserving Sukinda Ecorace silkworm, etc. to contribute its bit to the National Biodiversity Target.

Other dignitaries present on the occasion included Smt Bhagabati Mhanata, Chairperson, Panchayat Samiti, Sukinda Block, Mr Haridrumat Behera, Head, MPP, SCM, Tata Steel, Mr Ambika Nanda, Head, CSR, Tata Steel, Odisha, employees of Tata Steel, members of union, school students, journalists, elected members of local Panchayati Raj Institutions and local villagers.

About Tata Steel
Established in 1907 as Asia's first integrated private sector steel company, Tata Steel Group is among the top global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of nearly 28 million tonnes per annum (MnTPA) as on June 1, 2016. It is now the world's second-most geographically-diversified steel producer, with operations in 26 countries and a commercial presence in over 50 countries. The Tata Steel Group recorded a turnover of US $17.69 billion in FY16 and has ~77000 employees (as on March 31, 2016) across five continents and is a Fortune 500 company. The Group’s vision is to be the world’s steel industry benchmark in “Value Creation” and “Corporate Citizenship” through the excellence of its people, its innovative approach and overall conduct. Underpinning this vision is a performance culture committed to aspiration targets, safety and social responsibility, continuous improvement, openness and transparency. In 2008, Tata Steel India became the first integrated steel plant in the world, outside Japan, to be awarded the Deming Application Prize 2008 for excellence in Total Quality Management. In 2012, Tata Steel became the first integrated steel company in the world, outside Japan, to win the Deming Grand Prize 2012 instituted by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers.
In 2013, Tata Steel was awarded CII-ITC Sustainability Prize for its exemplary efforts towards corporate sustainability practices and in 2016, it bagged the TIME India Award for 'Best-in-Class Manufacturing'.

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Kulvin Suri
Chief, Corporate Communications, India & SEA
Tata Steel
Tel: +91 657 664 5512/ +91 92310 52397
E-mail: kulvinsuri@tatasteel.com