Tribal Studies To Be Introduced In All MP Universities: Minister Inder Singh Parmar

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Higher education minister Inder Singh Parmar announced on Monday that tribal studies would be introduced in all universities in Madhya Pradesh and that related topics would figure prominently in the New Education Policy.

“The tribal community has played a crucial role in India’s history and freedom struggle. Their efforts in areas like nature conservation are noteworthy and deserve scholarly attention,” he said while virtually addressing a workshop at Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya’s Tribal Study Centre.

Experts from different parts of the country gathered for the workshop and emphasised the vital role of the tribal community in shaping and sustaining Indian ideology.

The workshop highlighted the need to reconnect with indigenous knowledge systems, preserve tribal culture and integrate tribal contributions into the broader narrative of Indian history and education.

“India’s tribal community is not only the identity of the nation but also the foundation of its ideology”, said Atul Jog, national organisational secretary of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.

Speaking at the event, he said that while nations like the US were trying to rediscover their roots, India was fortunate to still have communities that lived in close harmony with tradition and nature. Jog criticised the colonial-era policies that alienated tribal communities and called for a collective effort to restore their rightful place in the Indian mainstream.

Endorsing this sentiment, IIT Delhi faculty member Prof Vivek Kumar stressed the need for academic research and documentation of tribal traditions, festivals and cultural practices. “The tribal community has a distinct identity, but it is not separate from the mainstream. It’s essential to understand their sentiments and preserve their wisdom,” he said.

Mhow university vice chancellor Prof Ramdas Atram advocated a holistic view of the tribal community, urging both the academic world and tribal groups themselves to initiate efforts toward inclusion and preservation.

Former chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Tribes Harsh Chauhan called tribal philosophy the true philosophy of India and stressed its relevance in today’s socio-cultural landscape.

Thinker Girish Kuber added that tribal communities must be viewed as integral to India’s mainstream, not as separate entities.

Tribal Studies Centre head Prof Sakharam Mujalde highlighted the journey of the tribal study centre and its objectives. The event was attended by a large number of academicians and students, including DAVV V-C Prof Rakesh Singhai, registrar Ajay Verma, Prof Ashutosh Mishra, Prof Kanhaiya Ahuja, Dr Rekha Acharya, Dr LK Tripathi and Dr Manish Kale.