Why India Honoured Yanung Jamoh Lego with the Padma Shri?

When the Government of India announced the Padma Awards in 2024, one name that stood out from the remote hills of Arunachal Pradesh was Yanung Jamoh Lego, a renowned herbal healer and agricultural expert. Awarded the Padma Shri, one of the country's highest civilian honours, Lego was recognised for her lifelong dedication to preserving indigenous knowledge, promoting traditional herbal medicine, and serving rural communities.

Popularly known as the "Adi Queen of Herbs," Yanung Jamoh Lego has spent decades documenting, practising and promoting the traditional healing wisdom of the Adi tribe, one of Arunachal Pradesh's largest indigenous communities. At a time when rapid modernisation threatens to erase centuries-old traditions, her work has helped safeguard valuable cultural and medicinal knowledge for future generations.

Born and raised in Arunachal Pradesh, Lego inherited her interest in herbal medicine from her father, who was a respected traditional healer. From a young age, she learned to identify medicinal plants found in the forests and hills of the region and understand their traditional uses. What began as a family legacy eventually became a mission to preserve and share indigenous healing practices with a wider audience.

Over the years, she has treated thousands of people using herbal remedies derived from locally available plants. Patients have travelled from different parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other states seeking her guidance. While many communities have relied on traditional medicine for generations, practitioners like Lego have played a crucial role in ensuring that this knowledge remains alive in an era increasingly dominated by modern healthcare systems.

Her contribution, however, extends beyond healthcare. As an officer in the Agriculture Department of Arunachal Pradesh until her retirement in 2023, Lego worked extensively on agricultural development and the conservation of medicinal plants. She encouraged local farmers and communities to cultivate herbal species, helping preserve biodiversity while creating awareness about sustainable resource management.

One of her most significant achievements has been the promotion of herbal gardens and community awareness programmes. Through workshops, demonstrations and public outreach initiatives, she educated younger generations about the importance of traditional medicinal plants and their role in local culture and livelihoods.

The Padma Shri recognition reflects a broader effort by India to honour individuals who work at the grassroots level and contribute to preserving the nation's rich cultural and scientific heritage. In recent years, the Padma Awards have increasingly celebrated unsung heroes whose work has had a lasting impact on communities despite receiving little national attention.

For Yanung Jamoh Lego, the award is not merely a personal achievement but a recognition of the value of indigenous knowledge systems that have been nurtured by tribal communities for centuries. Her journey demonstrates how traditional wisdom, when preserved and respected, can continue to play an important role in society while strengthening cultural identity and community well-being.

Through her work in herbal medicine, agriculture and knowledge preservation, Yanung Jamoh Lego has become a symbol of Arunachal Pradesh's rich heritage and a reminder that some of the most valuable contributions to nation-building often emerge from its remotest corners.