Millet Queen Of India: If you want to hire someone as a brand ambassador for any organization or company, you hire celebrities, movie stars, sports stars. But, the Indian government decided a tribal young woman as the brand ambassador. The center promoting the cultivation of millets has announced Laharibai, a young girl from the Baiga tribe of Madhya Pradesh who has a good grasp on the cultivation of millets, as the brand ambassador of the International Year of the Millet. So far she has set up a seed bank with 150 varieties of rare millets.
Learned lessons from grandmother..
Laharibai is a young woman from the Baiga (healer) tribal community of Madhya Pradesh. A particularly vulnerable tribal group. The people of this tribe are believed to have deep knowledge about their environment and its biodiversity, which they pass from one generation to another through oral traditions. Lahari, who hails from Silpadi, a remote village in Dindori district, was inspired by her grandmother's words,
Laharibai learned lessons from her grandmother about the health benefits of millet, a disappearing grain. Later dedicated her life to preserving its seeds. Started collecting seeds at age 18. Even now she roams the nearby villages and collects seeds from forests and fields.
Milletse is everything..
And if you go to Laharibai's house, there are various minumu seeds hanging on the roof of the house which look decorative. Millet is rich in protein, fiber and vitamins. They protect our health. Helps prevent diabetes and lose weight. A tribal woman who never went to school understood the importance of preserving these seeds long ago.
Collection of 150 types of millets..
And Laharibai was 27 years old and she started collecting millets from the age of 17. So far more than 150 varieties of millets have been collected. Laharibai has more than 150 varieties of rare millets including Kodo, Kutki, Sikia, Salhar, Sawa and Chena. Laharibai says that many types of millets are becoming extinct and need to be preserved.
Kilo seeds..
And if anyone cultivates millets… Lahari Bai will give them a kilo of seeds for free. After the harvest comes back, it takes one and a half kilos from those farmers. Some even give her a portion as a gift. Laharibai says that she is not doing this to earn money but to collect more seeds.
Became an ambassador for Millet..
Laharibai has been recognized as the brand ambassador of millets this year by the Government of India in recognition of her efforts in the collection and preservation of millets. The Government of India is trying to make the country a global hub for millet cultivation and research. In this order, Laharibai has been appointed as the brand ambassador.
