The book is based on the intensive and extensive ethnobotanical surveys and field studies among the Gaddi tribe of Western Himalaya. They live in remote forest areas ranging from the foothills to high altitude of Dhauladhar ranges in the district of Kangra, Chamba and other adjacent region of Himachal Pradesh in Western Himalaya. Gaddi is the ancient tribe of Himalaya having about 1 lakh population. Their life style is quite different and interesting from other hill communities of the Himalaya. The book deals with traditional life style and culture of Gaddi’s in relation to medicinal and economic plant wealth covered in chapters viz. Introduction, Gaddi’s of Western Himalaya, ethnobotanical plants – food, medicine, fibre, oil, gum and resin, dyes nd tannin, fodder, timber and wood work, tribal-crafts, fuel, socio-religious ceremonies, narcotics and drinks and miscellaneous uses, ecodevelopment of the region. An exhaustive inventory of about 450 plants and plant products of ethnobotanical value has been dealt in the book. The biodiversity resources utilized by the tribes in their day to day life and healthcare has been provided in the book. The book contains so many photographs and illustrations pertaining to vegetation, plants and plant product. A number of new or less known ethnomedicinal preparation/recipes are described based on the indigenous phytotherapy of Gaddi medicinemen. The book is useful to the environmentalists, botanists, ethnobotanists, Ayurvedic physicians, phytochemists, anthropologists, researchers, planners and administrators interested in ecodevelopment of the region and for sustainable utilization of the plant wealth. The book serves as useful potential for the academic references and the workers who are keen to know about folklore and indigenous knowledge of our country.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR K K Singh
K.K. Singh did his B.Sc (Ag.) Hons, M.Sc. (Ag.) in Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science in first division from Agra University, Agra and M.Phil and Ph.D. in Applied Chemistry from AMU, Aligarh. He availed UGC-JRF during his M.Phil, and Ph.D. studies. He qualified GATE-91 examination with an overall percentile score of 91.55. He qualified at a National Eligibility Test in Soil Sci.-Soil Chem. Fert. And Microb. In 1995 and NET-1997 in Soil Sci.-Soil Physics/Soil and Water Conservation organized by Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board, New Delhi. He joined the Department of Agriculture, Got. Of Rajasthan in 1993 as Asst. Agril. Research Officer (Chem.) in a Gazetted position and presently working at Project Directorate (Research), Agriculture and Soil Survey, Krishi Bhavan, Bikaner. He has also served as Asst. Professor (Soil and Water Conservation) for a short stint at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (RARS, Leh), Srinagar. He has 30 research papers, 45 articles, 20 chapters and 6 books published to his credit. He is also a recipient of ARIC 'Crop Research Award-1997' for his significant contribution for promoting literature in the field of agriculture, 20th Century 'Young Agricultural Scientist National Award', and 'Best Paper Award'. He has attended a number of national/international seminars/conferences/workshops and presented papers. He was a member of Editorial Board of J. Crop Research from 2001 to 2003. He is a Life Member of Indian Science Congress Association. He is also an expert of agricultural programmes broadcast from AIR, Bikaner.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kaushal Kumar
Dr. Kaushal Kumar Ph.D., F.N.R.S. Co-author of the book did his Ph.D. in Ethnomedicinal Plants through advanced interdisciplinary research work from Institute of Medical Sciences, B.H.U., Varanasi. Presently he is working as Research Associate in Ethnobotany Section, N.B.R.I., Lucknow. He has more than two dozen papers published and accepted in National and International journals and chapters in book. Dr. Kumar has published notable observations and field studies on Ethnomedicinal plants of Santhal, Paharia, Oraon, Munda, Kol and Kharwar tribes. He is member of many scientific committees. He has attended and presented papers in several Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums. He is elected ‘Fellow of International Society for Conservation of Natural Resources’ and was awarded (F.N.R.S.). He has research interest in Ethnobotany, Tribal medicine, Herbs of Indian system of Medicine, Pharmacognosy, Medicinal Plants of Himalaya and Conservation of biodiversity. He is a Resource person for conducting training programmes and workshops organised for herbal medicine.
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