The Kani (Kanikkar) tribe is found mainly in which state?

The Kani (also called Kanikkar or Kanikaran) are a tribal community living mainly in the forests of the Agasthyamala hills in southern Kerala, in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts. Some also live in the neighbouring Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts of Tamil Nadu. They are listed as a Scheduled Tribe.

The Kanis were traditionally a forest-dwelling, semi-nomadic people who practised shifting cultivation, hunting and the collection of forest produce. They have deep knowledge of medicinal plants. Their traditional healers are called "plathis".

The Kani tribe became famous worldwide because of the "Arogyapacha" and the "Jeevani" story:

Kani tribesmen told scientists of the Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI), Thiruvananthapuram, about a plant called "arogyapacha" (Trichopus zeylanicus), which they ate to stay energetic during long journeys in the forest.

TBGRI scientists developed a herbal medicine called "Jeevani" from it, a drug that fights tiredness and boosts immunity.

When the technology was licensed to a company in the 1990s, 50% of the licence fee and royalty was shared with the Kani tribe through a trust fund.

This is regarded as one of the first examples in the world of benefit-sharing with indigenous people for their traditional knowledge. It is often discussed in relation to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol.

The Agasthyamala region, where the Kanis live, is a UNESCO biosphere reserve (since 2016).

Why not the other options?

• ✗Odisha has tribes such as the Bondo, Saora and Dongria Kondh.
• ✗Assam has tribes such as the Bodo, Mising and Karbi.
• ✗Gujarat has tribes such as the Bhil, Siddi and Rathwa.