The Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh organized a “Two-Day Workshop on Indic-Tribalogy” on August 31st and September 1st, 2024. This workshop aimed to create a comprehensive roadmap for developing a tribal-centric professional course. Such a course would not only preserve and promote the rich tribal knowledge, culture, and practices but also pave the way for new career-oriented programs for the youth in the field of tribal empowerment.
The workshop was inaugurated by the chief patron, Prof. T. V. Kattimani, Honorable Vice-Chancellor of Central Tribal University. In his address, Prof. Kattimani emphasized the importance of such workshops in enabling the university to support researchers dedicated to studying and representing tribal knowledge systems. He highlighted that these initiatives are crucial for the academic and cultural development of tribal communities and for fostering a deeper understanding of their contributions to society.
The workshop featured a distinguished panel of resource persons, including Prof. Panchanan Mohanty, Former Dean of the School of Humanities at the University of Hyderabad; Prof. Bipin Jojo, Centre for Social Justice and Governance, School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai; Prof. Ashish Pandey, Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, IIT Bombay; Prof. Sucheta Sen Chaudhuri, Department of Tribal Studies, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi; Dr. Manjiri Bhalerao, Associate Professor at Shri Balmukund Lohia Centre of Sanskrit & Indological Studies, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune; and Dr. Janardhana Bora, Assistant Professor at Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Madhya Pradesh.
During the workshop, Deans of various schools, Heads of Departments, and faculty members engaged in in-depth discussions with the resource persons. These discussions focused on the integration of tribal knowledge systems into academic curricula and explored ways to design a course that aligns with the needs and aspirations of tribal communities while offering new career pathways for the youth.
The event was a significant step towards strengthening the university’s commitment to tribal empowerment and the preservation of indigenous knowledge systems. The insights gained from the workshop will serve as a foundation for developing innovative educational programs that resonate with the unique cultural heritage of tribal communities.
