The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs is scheduled to gather policymakers, researchers, academic institutions and technology experts in Bhubaneswar for a two-day national workshop starting on Tuesday, with a focus on strengthening Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) across the country.
The workshop, scheduled to be held on July 7-8, will serve as a platform to evaluate the current performance of TRIs and prepare a national roadmap aimed at developing them into centers of excellence for research, policy support and conservation of Indian tribal heritage, according to a press release.
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A highlight of the opening session was the launch of TribeX, a new digital educational platform dedicated to tribal arts, culture, languages and traditional knowledge.
TribeX to focus on preserving and sharing tribal heritage
According to the ministry, TribeX is designed as a comprehensive digital educational ecosystem that will help in preserving, documenting and disseminating Indian tribal heritage. The platform will contain structured educational courses, digital repositories, and technology-enabled knowledge exchange tools.
The ministry also expects the platform to encourage research, facilitate cultural exchange and create livelihood opportunities for tribal communities.
Senior ministers and officials attend the opening session
The workshop will be inaugurated by Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Juwal Oram. State Minister Durgadas Oike, R. Balasubramaniam, Odisha Minister Nityananda Gond, Tribal Affairs Minister Ranjana Chopra, along with senior officials from the Center and state governments.
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During the inaugural session, the ministry will also sign a memorandum of understanding with Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya.
About 200 participants are expected to attend the workshop, including representatives of tribal research institutes, state tribal welfare departments, academic institutions, technology organizations, NGOs and industry experts.
Discussions will focus on strengthening TRI institutions as centers of knowledge and cultural resources while improving research and documentation. Participants will also deliberate on the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and geographic information systems, as well as explore ways to improve institutional capacity and governance.
Roadmap and announcement
The second day of the workshop will focus on preparing a national roadmap to strengthen TRI by integrating recommendations from the different sessions.
Experts from the Center for the Development of Advanced Computing, Wadhwani AI, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Deloitte and Sarvam AI will provide insights on using technology to enhance research and tribal governance.
The workshop is expected to conclude with the adoption of the Bhubaneswar Declaration, which will outline a shared vision for institutional reforms, research excellence, technology integration and capacity building aimed at making tribal research institutes future-ready institutions that support evidence-based tribal development.
