Hally War – weaver of the living root-bridge in M’laya to receive Padma Shri

A Khasi man from Meghalaya, known for his lifelong dedication to weaving and taking care of living root bridges in the southern slopes of Khasi Hills region of the state, has been honoured with a Padma Shri award for his extraordinary contribution to conserving and promoting the traditional bioengineering wisdom of the indigenous Khasi people.
Hally War (69), a native of Siej Village in Sohra or Cherrapunjee, considered the wettest place on earth, has been a dedicated crafter of living root bridges, or known as Jingkieng Jri in Khasi dialect, since the age of 10.
War is specifically recognized for creating the Umkar living root bridge, which he started at the age of 10 after seeing his parents struggle to cross a river to reach their farmland.
“I am honoured and humbled that the prestigious Padma Shri Award was bestowed on me. First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to God for my perfect health, and grateful for the talent and creativity to build the Umkar Living Root bridge,” an elated War said.
A farmer by profession, War also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for acknowledging his skill and creativity.
“I learnt the art of growing the root bridge through my grandfather Iang Rapthap. I was about ten years old when my grandfather showed me a living root bridge that he was growing across the Ummunoi River,” he recalled.
“I started working on the Umkar Living Root bridge over the Umkar river. It took me 50 years of work to establish the first stage of Umkar Living Root Bridge and now the bridge is there. Dignitaries, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have appreciated my work and skill,” War said. He is also building another bridge on top or a double decke and the work is under development.
Incidentally, the Living Root bridges are in the UNESCO’s World Heritage tentative list and will probably be included in the main list soon. These bridges or the roots keep growing and some are 500 years old and a major attraction for the tourists.
These kinds of bio-engineered bridges are unique to this part of the world and the local community has developed this knowledge over generations and there are an estimated 100 such bridges spread in different parts of the Khasi-Jaintia hills, which has helped in connectivity in difficult terrain and others have become major tourist attraction.
While continuing to serve as a custodian of nature and traditional knowledge, War cultivates betel nuts, betel leaves, black pepper, and various fruit crops.
The Padma Shri awardee has called for preservation of trees and nature in its entirety.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sangma and Finance Minister Sitharaman has congratulated War on being selected for Padma Shri award, the fourth-highest civilian award in the country.
“Heartiest congratulations to Bah Hally War of Siej Village, East Khasi Hills, on being conferred the Padma Award 2026. For decades, he has dedicated his life to nurturing and building living root bridges, becoming a true ambassador of our heritage, traditions, and sustainable living. I fondly recall meeting Bah Hally in Siej during my trek to the living root bridges, where I learned that he began weaving these remarkable structures at the age of just ten. His profound knowledge, deep respect for nature, and unwavering community spirit make him a truly deserving recipient of this prestigious honour. Congratulations, Bah Hally,” Chief Minister Sangma posted on X.
“Bah Hally War of Siej Village, East Khasi Hills is an unassuming champion of sustainability. For decades he has nurtured and propagated living root bridges. In July 2025, I had an opportunity to spend sometime to understand how he accomplishes this. Congratulations Bah Hally War. Sincerely thank PM @narendramodi for recognising such heroes who build India. Nirmala posted on X.