Masi Sadaiyan | |
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| 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, useful for production of 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 theIrula Snake Catchers' Industrial Cooperative Society, which is the largest producer of snake venom in India.[4] His method relies on traditional knowledge and understanding of snake behavior, inherited through generations of the Irula community, allows him to work without modern equipment.[5]
In 2017, Sadaiyan traveled toFlorida to assist state wildlife agencies by training them to track and capture invasiveBurmese pythons in theEverglades.[6]