Indigenous Science and Technology for Sustainable Development

Contents: Foreword/J.M. Naidu. Introduction/V. Subramanyam. I. Indigenous knowledge systems: 1. Indigenous knowledge systems of local people/V.R. Rao. 2. Technology of tribal and rural artisans and handicrafts/J.M. Naidu. 3. Knowledge systems, hierarchies and relevance/V. Sudarsen and S. Sumathi. 4. Technology is the route to progress: a view from the study of prehistoric material culture/S. Krishna Rao. 5. Creative excellence of tribal: Continuity of indigenous knowledge for sustenance/Gopa Chakrabarti. 6. Hidden wisdom behind the primitive huts/Jesurathnam Devarapalli. 7. Indigenous housing pattern and architecture: an appraisal/P. Venkata Rao. 8. Dynamics of indigenous knowledge: a case study of Cyclopean Technology in Eastern Ghats/P. Vijaya Prakash. II. Traditional Subsistence Systems: 9. Use of traditional technologies in the subsistence activities and sustainable development: a study among primitive tribes of Visakha Agency, Andhra Pradesh/P. Durga Rao and V. Subramanyam. 10. The Horticulturists of Central Nicobar Islands: a study of indigenous production system/K. Ravi. 11. Simple technologies and complicated linkages: From Siwalik Hills to Eastern Ghats/Rajesh Patnaik and B.V.R. Prasad. 12. Science and application of indigenous technological knowledge for sustenance among the Abhujh Maria/Samira Dasgupta. 13. Sustainable development in relation to traditional wisdom of Bison-Horn Maria/Amitabha Sarkar. 14. Toddy Tapping Technology: a means of economic subsistence/K. Viswanatha Reddy. 15. Indigenous knowledge and subsistence systems: some observations among the primitive tribal groups of Andhra Pradesh/G.V. Ramana. III. Traditional Health Care Systems: 16. Survival of Ethnomedicine in the modern medical world: a study among the Kadar Tribe of Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu/K. Sasicoumar Brumot. 17. Ethnomedicine and the traditional treatment: a case study of the Irular of Tamil Nadu/Shaik Abdul Azeez Saheb. 18. Gods in the Garb of Healers: an interface between indigenous knowledge and the supernatural/K.E. Rajpramukh and P.D.S. Pal Kumar. 19. Traditional practices in mother and child health care among tribal populations of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh/V.L. Narasimha Rao and P. Durga Rao. 20. Papikondala Treatment: a practice of indigenous medicine among tribal folk in Andhra Pradesh/B.Y. Venkateswarlu and R. Santha Rao. 21. Dietary practices in some nomadic tribes of Andhra Pradesh: problems and perspectives/S. Narahari. 22. Human genetics in the service of tribal health/G. Paddaiah. IV. Traditional folk media: 23. Folklore and traditional folk media technologies in rural and tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh: an anthropological perspective/V. Subramanyam. 24. Folklore and traditional folk media technologies/Magimai Pragasam. 25. Traditional education: the role of teaching technology/K.P. Subba Rao. 26. Role of Traditional Youth Dormitory in Muduvan Community of Tamil Nadu/S.D. Jeachandirane Siva. 27. Language and culture: a study in acculturation and loss/S. Manoharan. V. Indigenous science, resource management and sustainable development: 28. Indigenous science, traditional techniques and tribal development: some reflections from Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu/Jakka Parthasarathy. 29. Traditional knowledge and sustainable resource management among the Savaras of Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh/Arun Kumar Singh. 30. Remote Sensing vs Indigenous technologies in Watershed development in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu/P. Sudhakara Reddy and V. Narayana Reddy. 31. Traditional non-chemical agricultural practices among the Tribes of Visakha Agency in Andhra Pradesh/V. Subramanyam. 32. Utilization of indigenous technology by the tribes for the sustainable development/T. Subramanyam Naidu. Contributors.

"Indigenous knowledge is the informal knowledge that exists in local societies, as against formal knowledge developed by the universities and research institutions of modern society. Indigenous knowledge of a human group covers a wide range of its members' perceptions of universal phenomena, occurring in their immediate environment as well as the social, economic and cultural practices of the people. The roots for the modern technology are found in the indigenous scientific knowledge of different human groups.

In recent times many scientists including anthropologists have felt the need of preservation of indigenous knowledge and also its use for the sustainable development of tribal and rural folks. Indigenous knowledge is an important natural resource that can facilitate the development process in cost-effective, participatory and sustainable ways.

The research papers included in this volume provide the practical knowledge of tribal and rural folks of India in utilization of indigenous science and technologies in their subsistence activities." (jacket)