India is a nation enriched with diversity: cultural, regional and even herbal. In a country where flora and fauna form a major part of its existence and development, there are some who still rely on traditional methods to heal them, rather than mechanical devices. Yanung Jamoh Lego is one such woman who learned the art of herbal medicine from a young age from her grandmother. Born and raised in the Adi tribal community of East Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh in 1963, she grew up in the Sika Tode village surrounded by the lush forests of the Eastern Himalayas and developed a deep connection with medicinal plants. Soon what began as traditional knowledge passed through oral traditions evolved into an honest practice that has helped over 300,000 patients from India and beyond.
The herbal journey
It was in 1995 that Lego launched her own treating service. After years of seeing her father, a respected folk healer, help people, she spent 15 years in a period of intense learning and practice before formally beginning her journey. Over 30 years, Lego has healed patients with chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes, skin disorders, kidney diseases, arthritis, liver disorders, and skin diseases. All the medicines she prescribes are prepared fresh at her clinic using sustainably sourced local herbs. Powders, decoctions, pastes and oils, she uses them all to help out the needy. Over the years, the 60-year-old has been credited for reviving the traditional healing practices of the community, even becoming the deputy director in the state agriculture department. In 2009, she launched Indigenous Herbal Heritage, preserving age-old knowledge, training one lakh people and planting more than 5000 medicinal plants across the state. Lego is a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) under the Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine, affiliated with the Open International University for Complementary Medicines, established under the World Health Organisation. Additionally, she also holds an MSc in Agriculture.Not just a healer, she is also a teacher. Her impact has reached across the globe with researchers and fellows from London, America and beyond coming to her to learn. “Everything is open — learn by doing, learn by watching,” she said.
The recognition
Her first award came in 2007 from the SRISTI Samman, but over the years, the testimonies of her patients have been a vocal applause for her wisdom. “I had severe eczema that didn’t respond to any treatment. After 3 months of herbal therapy from the clinic, my skin has improved remarkably. Highly recommend!” wrote a woman on her website.”After struggling with diabetes for 15 years, Dr. Lego’s herbal treatment has helped me reduce my dependency on insulin significantly. I’m grateful for this traditional healing approach,” added another.In 2013, she received the Paramparika Vaidya Ratna award and in 2019, she was honoured with the Arunachal State Award. Finally, in 2024, even the national government recognised her contribution, awarding her the Padma Shri, one of the nation’s highest civilian honours. “I have been treating patients for the last 30 years. I am very happy to be honoured with this prestigious award. At first, I could not believe it,” Lego told PTI from Pasighat.Not just awards, she was appointed as a member of the State Medicinal Plants Board and was also featured in a National Geographic documentary on traditional healers of Northeast India.While most would create a name for themselves and charge a hefty fee due to their popularity and efficiency, Lego remains rooted in her hometown. Her clinic still remains in her village Sikatode, where she charges a minimal fee or nothing at all to heal those who visit her. “I didn’t charge for treatment from 1995 to 2019. Now I do, because every month, Rs 8 lakh goes into salaries and supplies,” she explained. About 10-20 patients visit her clinic every day where she attends them on first come first serve basis.Moreover, she does not keep her knowledge limited, she shares it with the world through her YouTube channel ‘Herbal Medicine by Yanung Jamoh Lego’ where she enjoys 91.4K subscribers and often uploads videos detailing natural remedies for diseases. She calls herself a student of the jungle, but for the people of Arunachal, she is the ‘Adi Queen of Herbs’.