The Role of Indigenous Medical Practices in Sustainable Healthcare: A Case Study of the Kandha Tribe of Odisha

This study the critical role of indigenous medical practices in fostering sustainable health care system, focusing on the Kandha tribe of Odisha, India. Rooted in traditional ecological knowledge, the Kandha community’s health practices rely on locally available medicinal plant, ritual healing, and the expertise of traditional healers known as Disaris. These practices not only address physical ailments but also incorporate spiritual and environmental dimensions, emphasizing a holistic understanding of health. By employing historical and ethnographic methods, this research examines how such practices have evolved under colonial influence, resisted biomedical interventions, and continue to persist as culturally embedded, community driven healthcare solutions. The study argues that integrating indigenous knowledge systems into modern healthcare frameworks can contribute significantly to sustainability, especially in marginalized and rural contexts. Furthermore, it highlights the challenges these systems face today, including erosion of traditional knowledge, this research advocates for the preservation and inclusion of indigenous medical knowledge in the broader discourse on sustainable health and well-being.