KOZHIKODE: Cheruvayal Raman, fondly known as 'Ramettan' and revered as the "Guardian of Native Paddy" and India's "living paddy gene bank," passed away at 74.
A prominent voice of indigenous agro-biodiversity, Raman passed away while undergoing cardio-related treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.
His departure marks the end of an extraordinary era of grassroots conservation, leaving behind an incomparable legacy of traditional wisdom, ecological stewardship, and community resilience.
Born in 1952 near Kammana village in Wayanad district, Cheruvayal Raman belonged to the Kurichya tribal community. His deep connection to the land was forged early in life under the guidance of his uncle. When his uncle passed away in 1989, the full responsibility of managing their tribe family farm fell upon his shoulders.
This transition marked the beginning of a life dedicated to preserving the soil, seeds, and agrarian heritage of the Western Ghats.
Driven by a profound concern over the rapid loss of indigenous crops, Raman initiated a dedicated single-handed mission in the year 2000 to collect and cultivate rare, traditional rice strains.
While Wayanad historically cultivated nearly 160 distinct varieties of paddy, modernisation and commercialisation gradually pushed over half of these native breeds to extinction.
Recognising this ecological crisis, Raman transformed his modest three-acre plot in Kammana into a flourishing sanctuary for agro-biodiversity.
Over the past two decades, he successfully safeguarded over 55 rare indigenous rice varieties, alongside dozens of native species of trees, spices, and herbs.
Among the rare and resilient rice varieties he preserved are traditional staples such as Thondi, MannuVeliyan, Kanali, Chettuveliyan, Palveliyan, and Channalthondi, as well as prized aromatic cultivars including Jeerakasala, Gandhakashala, and Kayama.
Locally cherished as ‘Vithachan’ and ‘Nellachan’—the Father of Seeds and Paddy—he championed sustainable, organic cultivation techniques traditionally practised by the Scheduled Tribe communities of Wayanad. His approach to seed sharing was unique and selfless: he distributed native seeds completely free of charge to any farmer committed to organic cultivation, asking only for a simple guarantee in return—that an equal quantity of harvested seeds be returned after the season to keep the cycle of life continuous.
His relentless dedication gained wide national and international acclaim. In 2023, the Union Government honoured him with the prestigious Padma Shri for his vital contributions to agriculture.
His accolades also include the prestigious National Plant Genome Saviour Award instituted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, the Genome Conservation Award (2016), and the Karshaka Jyothi Award from the Kerala State Agriculture Department.
Raman’s expertise took him beyond national borders; he represented Indian farmers at the International Conference on Biodiversity held in Hyderabad in 2011, and was frequently invited to deliver lectures in global centres such as London and Singapore.
Cheruvayal Raman is survived by his wife, Geetha, and his four children—Ramani, Ramesh, Rajesh, and Rejitha—along with his extended family, including sons-in-law and daughters-in-law Rajan, Unnikrishnan, Rejitha, and Thankamani.
