Meet 'poison healer' Lakshmikutty whom PM Modi mentioned in his Mann Ki Baat

New Delhi: In his first Mann Ki Baat radio show in 2018, on Sunday Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about Lakshmikutty, a 75-yr-old tribal woman from Thiruvananthapuram district who has been conferred Padma Shree award. Here is all you need to know about the iconic lady who is a source of inspiration for many of us. Lakshmikutty is a 75-yr-old tribal woman from Kallar forest area in Thiruvananthapuram district. She is practicing traditional medicine for the past 50 yrs and is known as 'poison healer'.  

Laxmikutty is a teacher in Kerala's Kallar and still resides in a hut made of palm leaves in a tribal tract amidst dense forests. She prepares 500 types of herbal medicines from her memory. She was been conferred with Padma Shree award: PM Modi #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/hBujegdF8w

— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2018

She belongs to Kaani tribe and has also received Kerala govt's Naattu Vaidya Ratna award in '95 She is known to treat all kinds of snake poisons. People from different places come to her for treatment. She says," Nature offers all remedies. Knowledge of traditional medicine was passed on to me from my mother who was a midwife. People come to me for treatment for snake poison. I treat all kinds of snake poison, and many other diseases"  

Kerala:Padmashree awardee Lakshmikutty is a 75-yr-old tribal woman from Kallar forest area in Thiruvananthapuram district.She has been practicing traditional medicine for the past 50 yrs&is known as 'poison healer'. She also received Kerala govt's Naattu Vaidya Ratna award in '95 pic.twitter.com/E0l5ZNGpCh — ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2018

It is surprising that even today there is no direct road to her home she says,"There is no road to my home even today, it was approved in 1952.People are not able to bring patients in time" "Providing medicine at the earliest is important in poison treatment, My son lost his life as we could not take him to hospital on time as there was no road" Not just this, she can remember 500 varieties of medicine and is also known for her own poems, dramas etc. She also works as a teacher in folklore academy. Her husband died two years ago and at present, she stays alone in the forest and grows medicinal plants near her house. Her two sons died and the third one is working on the Railways.