King Sejong Prize 2022
Medicinal Plants
Research Partner
Tribal Communities
For generations, Indigenous communities have lived in harmony with forests, rivers and soil — cultivating a science of survival grounded in observation, respect and balance. Their knowledge of food, farming, healing and crafts forms an unbroken chain of wisdom that modern science is only beginning to recognise.
At KISS, we see these knowledge systems not as relics of the past, but as living, evolving frameworks for resilience. Through research, documentation and education, we bridge Indigenous wisdom with modern sustainability — ensuring that these practices remain relevant, respected and regenerative.
From foraging and seed preservation to kitchen gardens and cooking traditions, food is both sustenance and story
Born during the COVID-19 pandemic through Project CHIRAG — a collaboration between University of East Anglia (UEA), Gram Vaani, PRADAN and KISS.
Creative Hub for Innovation & Reciprocal Research & Action for Gender Equality
Impact: The project established Odisha’s first community-based digital food knowledge network, demonstrating how voice technology and local wisdom can coexist to shape policy, empower women, and preserve culture.
Cambridge University-led initiative promoting sustainable agriculture beyond the seed-fertiliser-water model
Impact: KISS’ collaboration brought Indigenous Odisha’s agroecological knowledge to an international platform, proving that sustainable innovation must begin with those closest to the land.
Tribal Odisha has long practised forest-based healing — a form of medicine rooted in plants, rituals, and deep ecological understanding. At KISS, we integrate this wisdom into both academic study and experiential learning.
Through the Professors of Practice initiative, KISS formally recognises craft masters who carry this heritage forward. These artisans not only demonstrate traditional methods but also mentor students to adapt them for modern design, sustainability and social enterprise.
Dongria Kandha shawl weaving (Kapdagandh).
Bonda jewellery making
Saura ritual painting (Idital)
KISS integrates Indigenous crafts into structured programmes, enabling students to practise weaving, painting, pottery and jewellery-making alongside contemporary courses in design and entrepreneurship.
This blend of mentorship and structured skill training transforms cultural knowledge into opportunity — helping tribal youth see heritage not as history, but as a pathway to independence, innovation and dignity.
As farmers, foragers, seed keepers, and healers. Yet, they are also among the most vulnerable to food insecurity and poverty.
Projects like CHIRAG and TIGR2ESS make women’s voices visible in policy and research. By framing women as knowledge-holders rather than beneficiaries, these programs redefine what empowerment means in the context of food, land and culture.
From the IVRS helpline to the recipe book, each initiative led by KISS proves that when women speak, knowledge grows — and communities thrive.
KISS’ work — whether in fields, forests, or classrooms — ensures that these timeless systems find new relevance in the age of technology, climate change and globalisation.
Teaching us how to live in harmony with the earth
Valuing the intricate web of life around us
Building relationships of mutual care with nature
