DU sets up Centre for Tribal Studies

Delhi Univ. establishes Centre for Tribal Studies to understand diversity of tribal practices, culture, language, religion, economy, & relationship with nature. Appoints Soumendra Mohan Patnaik as Director & Avitoli G. Zhimo as Joint Director. Centre to bridge gap between needs of Denotified, Nomadic tribes & PVTGs.

To mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, Delhi University announced the establishment of the Centre for Tribal Studies (CTS) on Wednesday.

In a statement, the university said the CTS would work towards understanding the diversity of tribal practices, culture, language, religion, economy, commonalities and relationship with nature through an India-centric perspective.

It has appointed Soumendra Mohan Patnaik, Head, Department of Anthropology, as the Director of the new centre and Avitoli G. Zhimo, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, as the Joint Director.

At present, the CTS will function from the Department of Anthropology and DU said it aspires to provide insightful academic impetus to public policy with special reference to conservation, development, forest, and special health needs.

“The inception of the Centre for Tribal Studies 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.

“The establishment of the 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,” the university said.

It added that the centre will get inputs from two external experts, T.V. Kattimani, Vice-Chancellor, Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh, and Chander Mohan Parsheera, Director, Institute of Tribal Studies, Himachal Pradesh University.