Shillong, Jan. 25 -- A Khasi man from Meghalaya, known for his lifelong dedication to weaving and taking care of living root bridges in the southern slopes of Khasi Hills region of the state, has been honoured with a Padma Shri for his extraordinary contribution to conserving and promoting the traditional bioengineering wisdom of the indigenous Khasi people.
Hally War (69), a native of Siej Village in Sohra or Cherrapunjee, considered the wettest place on earth, has been a dedicated crafter of living root bridges, or known as Jingkieng Jri in Khasi dialect, since the age of 10.
War is specifically recognized for creating the Umkar living root bridge, which he started at the age of 10 after seeing his parents struggle to cross a river to r...