National Seminar on 'Tribal Transformation and Development in Eastern India' @MSCBU

A two-day National Seminar on 'Tribal Transformation and Development in Eastern India' was successfully organized on 20-21 May 2023 by the Department of Anthropology and Tribal Studies (ATS) at Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University. The event was inaugurated by Vice Chancellor Prof. Santosh Kumar Tripathy, Chairman PG Council Prof. Pramod Kumar Satapthy, IDP Coordinator Prof. H. N. Thatoi, Keynote-Speaker Prof. Jagannath Das, and HoD of Department of ATS Dr. Basanta Kumar Mohanta.

Expressing his gratitude, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Tripathy commended the Department of ATS for hosting the program. Prof. Jagannath Das, the Keynote Speaker, provided valuable insights into tribal development and the ongoing changes in the Similipal region. He also drew attention to the unique aspects of tribal change and development, citing the example of North East India. As a gesture, Prof. Das presented his research book to the Vice Chancellor. Dr. Laxman Kumar Sahu, the Organizing Secretary of the Seminar and Assistant Professor of ATS, called for the success of the event.

During the seminar presentations, Prof. Gautam Kumar Bera emphasized the importance of mental and moral development among the masses, supporting his points with illustrative examples. Prof. Dipendra Chatterjee, Anthropology Professor from Calcutta University, delved into gene polymorphism, while Prof. Arnav Ghosh, Professor from Viswabharati University, shed light on childhood obesity in Southeast India.

The closing ceremony included the screening of two short documentaries. The first, titled 'Beni Puchul,' and the second, a biographical film about the legendary Indian anthropologist Dr. Biraja Shankar Guha, were prepared by Dr. Naba Kumar Dwari. Prof. Pramod Kumar Satapathy, Chairman of the PG Council, declared the program a success during the closing ceremony and noted the participation of attendees from Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Gujarat. The seminar attracted more than 75 participants, with prominent attendees such as Prof. Susmita Kar, M. Himabindu, and Puspanjali Parida. Key speakers in various fields included Dr. Naba Kumar Dwari, Dr. Arnab Ghosh, Pushpa Patra, and Lipika Behera, while the seminar was effectively conducted with the assistance of Associate Professor Dr. Monali Goswami, Assistant Professor Dr. Priyanka Das, and Dr. Bhubaneswar from the ATS Department.