India, Oct. 14 -- Cheruvayal Raman, the Padma Shri-winning tribal farmer from Wayanad who preserved indigenous rice varieties, died on October 14 at the age of 74.

Known affectionately as Ramettan, he maintained 50 traditional rice varieties native to Wayanad and 14 collected from elsewhere in Kerala.

Raman's fields became a living gene bank, where seeds were preserved through repeated cultivation and freely shared with other farmers, especially tribal households.

His death raises urgent questions about how Wayanad's indigenous rice collection, tribal farming knowledge and community-led biodiversity conservation will be protected after him.

Cheruvayal Raman, the Padma Shri-winning tribal farmer who devoted his life to preserving Wayan...