Abdul Gani Hajam (45), a barber by profession, is a resident of central Kashmir’s Budgam district. He has good knowledge of herbal practices and gives medications for skin ailments, piles and other diseases. His practice on obesity has been found to be novel and taken up for validation, where the results have been encouraging.

Though he has been running a barber’s shop but his customers also know him for his knowledge about herbal medications. He learnt most practices from his father who had learnt it from his father, who was a herbal healer. Gani could not study due to poverty and worked as a mason when he grew up. However, due to an accident he had to undergo a long duration treatment. His eldest son had to discontinue studies to support his family- three siblings and his parents. Now Gani and Adil both work to earn a decent livelihood for the family, which still remains insufficient. Gani laments the situation he finds himself and his family and hopes for a better future for his family.

In the validation tests at Anand Pharmacy College, Anand, the herbal medication significantly reduced total cholesterol level, serum triglycerides level and Low density lipoproteins (LDL) level. The High density lipoproteins (HDL) increased after test drugs treatment as well as treatment with standard drugs. His herbal medicine against obesity has shown promise in validation trials however, more research needs to be done, which is being pursued.