New Delhi, Sept. 4 -- The death of Kuttymathan Kani, a quiet but resolute guardian of tribal knowledge in Kerala's Agasthyarkoodam hills, has brought back into sharp focus a story that once held global scientific and pharmaceutical attention-the saga of 'Arogyapacha' and the herbal wonder drug 'Jeevani'.

Kuttymathan, revered among his people for his deep knowledge of wild tubers, medicinal plants, and forest biodiversity, spent much of his life working to preserve and pass on this wisdom. His passing is more than the loss of a man. It is the dimming of a light that once guided India's most celebrated experiment in benefit-sharing between indigenous communities and modern science.

In August 2022, Kuttymathan's lifelong efforts received r...