It is essential to sensitise the social process for successful promotion of folk healers and their useful practices, since they hold the key to health security of millions. The sustainability of the effort for revitalisation depends mainly on the stakeholders of traditional knowledge, who are at village level the Paramparika Vaidyas and knowledgeable households. Promotion of Taluka level Paramparika Vaidya Parishats (Associations) all over India is one of the strategies to achieve the goal of revitalisation of local health traditions.

The aim of the Taluka level association is to provide a forum for Paramparika Vaidyas and household knowledge carriers to regularly meet, interact and exchange knowledge, skills and experiences in their respective fields. The programme also encourages training to the younger generations by establishment of centres of excellence in different areas of expertise of local health traditions through a guru-shishya (teacher– student) method of partaking of knowledge and the skills.

In Karnataka, an apex body of Paramparika Vaidya Parishat (PVP) (Karnataka) has been constituted and registered. So far, 10 taluka-level Paramparika Vaidya Parishats have been registered and 14 taluka-level Paramparika Vaidya Parishats have been constituted. Constitution of 25 more taluka-level Paramparika Vaidya Parishats have also been initiated in various districts.

FRLHT has been conferring Paramparika Vaidya Rathna Award to the folk healers in recognition of their services rendered to the rural communities in their region. The National Medicinal Plant Board, Government of India has instituted Vanaushadi Pandit Award since 2003. Both the awards consist of a Panchaloha Statue of Dhanawantri and a cash award of Rs. 10,000/-.

Smt. Mastammma, a tribal woman from Hebbalahadi village, Hunsoor taluk, Mysore District, was awarded the Paramparika Vaidya Rathna award for the year 2004-05. Mastammma has handled more than 2000 deliveries, including many complicated cases like breach delivery and entanglement of umbilical cord, in the tribal areas of Hunsur Taluk. She also treats uterine prolapse, menstrual problems, infertility, jaundice and many paediatric conditions.

Sri Jediyappa Gowda of Lingasugooru village was awarded the Vanaushadi Pandit award for his outstanding contribution in the field of veterinary health. He has saved thousands of cattle in the Raichur district and has set aside his 230 acres of land for the development of medicinal plants for the use of local community.