Masi Sadaiyan | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Occupation | Snake catcher |
| Known for | Traditional snake catching for antivenom production |
| Awards | Padma Shri (2023) |
Masi Sadaiyan is an Indiansnake catcher from theIrula tribe ofTamil Nadu.[1] He is an expert in the traditional methods of tracking and capturing venomous snakes, a skill that is critical for producing snakebiteantivenom.[2] In 2023, he and his colleagueVadivel Gopal were jointly awarded thePadma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, in recognition of their contributions to social work and affordable healthcare.[3]
Sadaiyan is a member of the Irula Snake Catchers' Industrial Cooperative Society, which is the largest producer of snake venom in India.[4] The venom extracted by the cooperative is supplied to laboratories to create antivenom, saving thousands of lives annually. His knowledge, inherited through generations of the Irula community, allows him to work without modern equipment, relying on his understanding of snake behavior.[5]
The expertise of Sadaiyan and Gopal has also been recognized internationally. In 2017, they traveled toFlorida to assist state wildlife agencies by training them to track and capture invasiveBurmese pythons in theEverglades.[6]