Delhi University sets up new Centre for Tribal Studies

NEW DELHI: The University of Delhi (DU) will be setting up a new centre -- Centre for Tribal Studies. The new centre at DU seeks to understand the diversity of tribal practices, culture, language, religion, economy, commonalities and relationship with nature through an India-centric perspective. The university has announced the establishment of the Centre for Tribal Studies (CTS) on August 9 when the world is celebrating its International Day of World’s Indigenous People 2023 today.

The inception of CTS, according to a DU statement, will be a transformative step in advancing and addressing the contemporary issues relevant to the tribal communities in terms of their overall development and well-being in present as well as in future progression.

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Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh had earlier announced about it in a public event organised jointly by University of Delhi and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes in celebration of ‘Tribal Heroes and their Contribution in Freedom Struggle’ on November 24, 2022.

DU’s Centre for Tribal Studies Objectives

The Centre will have an all-India perspective with due consideration of regional diversities of Northeast India, Central India, South India and Island regions and others, said Prakash Singh, the Chairman of Governing Body.

At present, the Centre for Tribal Studies will function from the Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi. The establishment of the Centre for Tribal Studies (CTS) will endeavour in highlighting the role and contribution of many tribal leaders throughout Indian history and also bring to light the efforts of many unsung tribal leaders in India’s struggle for freedom.

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Through its research endeavours, the Centre for Tribal Studies (CTS) will study and document various Lok traditions of Indian tribes and their indigenous knowledge, as well as work towards dissemination of such information to the public in general and to academia and students in particular. It will also play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between the needs of Denotified, Nomadic tribes, and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

The Centre will also provide insightful academic impetus to Public Policy with special reference to conservation, development, forest, and special health needs.

The Centre for Tribal Studies (CTS) stands as a testament to Delhi University’s vision of empowering tribes who constitute more than eight per cent of India's total population.

Centre for Tribal Studies’ Members

A governing body has been constituted with Prakash Singh, Director, South Campus, University of Delhi as its chairperson, along with academics as members. The centre will also get erudite inputs from two external experts Prof T V Kattimani, VC of Central Tribal University of AP, and Prof. Chander Mohan Parsheera, Director, Institute of Tribal Studies, Himachal Pradesh University, eminent scholars in their own right.

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The university has appointed Soumendra Mohan Patnaik, Head of the Department of Anthropology, as the Director of the Centre for Tribal Studies, and Dr Avitoli G. Zhimo, Associate Professor of the Department of Anthropology as the Joint Director.

An interdisciplinary Research Committee will provide impetus to its functioning.

“Dr. Seema Singh, Faculty of Law and Dr. Santosh Hasnu, Department of History, Hans Raj College are also its members. Their wealth of knowledge and expertise in tribal affairs will be instrumental in driving the Centre for Tribal Studies (CTS),” the university added.