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First University of Odisha 17th oldest University in India

Introduction

The North Eastern Region (NER) of India geographically stretches from the foothills of the eastern range of Himalayas and is surrounded by Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal and Myanmar. It is constituted of eight states namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. NER constitutes 7.9 percent of country’s total geographical area and 3.8 percent of total population of the country. The NER has remained one of the most underdeveloped regions of the country with inadequate infrastructure and poor governance that experiences low productivity and inadequate market access. The NER is marked by lower rate of industrialization and limited spread of modern facilities. The agricultural operations are also limited with jhum other cultivation stems. Cultural ethos governing labour participation is also distinct across gender and social categories. Woman participation is a distinctphenomenon in socio-economic process of development. Interand intramigration complicated socio-economic status due to several socio-political considerations.
In India, higher education is of vital importance to build knowledge-based society of the 21st century. It produces a variety of manpower needed in administration, industry, agriculture and other services. In India especially in North East region higher educational institutions has faced many problems. NE regions development is impeded by inadequate infrastructure, adverse climate conditions, mountainous landscape remote communication facilities. Peace and social life are often disturbed by border clashes and ethnic tensions. However, NE region is endowed with rich bio-diversity and natural resources. Skilled human resources to exploit the local resources, if developed, such as tea, timber, tourism, oil, coal and bio-resources, offer immense potential for the economic progress of the region. Quality higher education is pre-requisite for creation and development of skilled human resources. Quality higher education, thus especially in NE region will help to circumvent the natural resource constraints and creation of knowledge infrastructure towards self-empowerment of the people.
Since, education in this region has been plagued with a multitude of problems in recent times, every year hundreds and thousands of students from the North East India come to the universities and colleges of Delhi, Calcutta, and Bangalore etc. for education in various fields. Sustainable academic excellence in eastern India with implementation of technology and research, upskilling, setting up entrepreneurship cells, and promoting industry-academia collaboration are very important which is one of the goal of CoE,CNEIS to establish a strong link and potential educational hub for academic excellence in North Eastern students.Emergence of the online medium in education and focus from full-time degrees to skills base programmes of regional importance for students to strive to stand out in smart education and smart classes including Entrepreneurship SkillDevelopment Programme, to help them develop their team spirit, organization skills, sense of initiative and responsibility, and leadership and attached facilities for students. To augment pedagogy through enhanced interactivity, activity-based learning or flipped classrooms is a need of the hour. Students from North East India, desire to seek quality education, unstable political environment in the past, and the ability of certain section of students to financially afford education in private institute outside the North East region. Finding and retaining good quality faculty in this region may remain a challenge. The Centre of Excellence established aims at fuelling the principal ambitions of the students. Apart from an advanced industry-ready curriculum, the Centre of Excellence will play an additional role in improving expertise and knowledge through co-scholastic activities for the overall organizational development. For making Utkal University a favored destination for higher studies is starkly simple – a steady introduction of meaningful courses of study coupled with the creation of an ambience for serious study, research and safe social life.
The CoE, CNEIS in Utkal University will sign MOU with different existing Universities of the North East States, so that, universities of North Eastern states have campus and study centres of Utkal University or vice-versa. Students will also benefit from these by getting scholarship and opportunities to learn in Utkal University. Moreover, research and publication of journals and books is an important issue in the North East states which can be enhanced with new course curriculum. Issues of access, communication, control and technology are intertwined which would gain lot of importance in the years to come.
Since NER is facing with limited growth in social, agricultural, economic, health, education and cultural sector with unemployment combined with limited modern facilities and life style, Utkal University has set up Centre for Excellence (COE), Centre of North East India Studies (CNEIS) under RUSA Programme with the objective to carry out policy-oriented research and conduct workshops/seminars and training on different issues related socio economic development of NER in general and social protection in particular. The Mission and Visions of the CoE North East India Study is as follows:

Mission

To become a centre of excellence in the field of higher education and research, development, training, and extension for lively hood, social welfare, human resource development, cultural exchange and skill development with special reference to the eastern region of India including the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

Visions
  • To bridge the socio-economic gaps of North Eastern Region people following accelerated inclusive growth and governancefor up gradation of livelihood and social welfare.
  • To play a key role in returning the North Eastern Region to the position of national economic, educational, cultural eminence and spreads out to the grassroots in the vanguard of the country’s Look East Policy.
  • To preserve ethnic mosaic with their own languages and socio-cultural identity of North East states, capacity building in human resource development, biodiversity conservation, health and sanitization, cultural exchange, tourism, traditional knowledge preservation, skill development to minimize Region’s geo-political isolation.
Specific goals
  1. To preserve local-level traditional practices and documentation of Traditional Knowledge to develop their current form.
  2. Biodiversity conservation and development of community based conservation programme.
  3. R & D on Agricultural and Horticultural Development on spices (Cardamom, ginger, turmeric, pepper, pineapple) flower (Cymbidium, Gladiolus, Lilium, Dendrobium, Anthurium).
  4. Management of Forest resource and development of minor forest products and environment protection.
  5. Livelihood strategies and extension of social welfare including woman and child education.
  6. Development of Medicinal Plant Database of NER with their local use for public health.
  7. Improvement of quality of life by sensitizing health and sanitization programme.
  8. Skill gap study to develop technical manpower supportive to community action programme.
  9. Capacity building for e-governance for project formulation, extension, evolution and monitoring.

North East India brochure

North-East India, roughly encompassing the area between 21°5′ N to 29°5′ N latitudes and 85°5′ E to 97°3′ longitudes, lies at the junction of South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Five Asian nations namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, and Nepal sharing international boundary with North-East India, strategically surrounds the eight states of North-East India. The eight North-East states – Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura – have their own rich history and tradition, making the North-East a microcosm of India.
Geopolitically, the economy, politics, and culture of China, Bangladesh, and Myanmar have exerted considerable influence in the region. The unique geographic location of North-East India has rendered it strategic with regard to India’s relation with neighbouring countries. North-East India is connected to the Indian mainland through a narrow 21-kilometre-long corridor through North Bengal known popularly as the Chicken’s neck. Meanwhile, the North-East shares a 900-kilometre-long international boundary with Bangladesh, 1,350 kilometre with Tibet, and 2,350 kilometre with Myanmar.
Being a part of the Vavilovian centre of biodiversity, with a unique setting of mountain ranges and river valleys, North-East India is a biodiversity hotspot with numerous species of amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals. The region’s forest cover is an estimated 60 per cent, which sustains wildlife, plant species, and natural products that carries huge research potential as well as economic viability. Besides the rich biodiversity, North-East India is blessed with vast greenery, lofty mountain ranges, and fertile river valleys that adds to the scenic beauty of the region.
With regard to culture and language, North-East India forms a kaleidoscope of a variety of people groups with distinct culture, language and ethnicity. There are at least an estimated 130 tribal communities constituting nearly one-third of the entire tribal communities of India. The communities in North-East India speaks numerous tongues belonging to four major language families: Tibeto-Burman, Austro-Asiatic, Indo-Aryan, and Kradai. The region is a mosaic of different belief system with people following major religions like Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and varieties of primeval religions. North-East India is a melting pot of various cultures and languages dating back centuries, and the process is still continuing today. Undeniably, it is the most diverse part of India, and is undoubtedly a prized jewel in India’s crown.

Activities conducted so far

  1. 29.01.2021: Online seminar on Buddhism and Trade Routes of Tripura: A Linkage Between North East India and South East Asia

Distinguished speaker

Prof. Projit Kumar Palit

Director, Centre for Indological Studies, Department of History,

Assam University, Silchar

 

 

 

Seminar Summary

Covering an area of 10, 491 sq. km, Tripura, the third smallest state in India, attained statehood on 21 January 1972. The modern Tripura was ruled for several centuries by the Manikya dynasty and became a princely state under the British protectorate, and finally joined the Indian Union in 1949. Tripura state in North-East India shares borders with Bangladesh in the north, south and west, and the North-Eastern states of Assam and Mizoram to the East. This strategic location of Tripura had diversified the culture contact, increased trade relations with people near and far, and also the state in the past had witnessed waves of peoples including adventurers, traders, rulers and wandering religious ascetics entering the area.

Unlike North-Eastern states like Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, which were far removed from the valley-based kingdoms and civilisations, Tripura had maintained long relationship with the Arakan kingdom (presently in the Rakhine state), Kamarupa kingdom in Brahmaputra valley, and even the Mughals had exerted influence over the Tripuri kingdom. This culture contact and civilisational influence had also diversified the ethnic, linguistic, and religious fabric of the region. For instance, today, there are tribes of like the Chakma and Uchai who trace their migration to Rakhine state in Myanmar, while the Reang, a large tribal community, trace their origin to the Shan State of Upper Burma.

For a state like Tripura, the most outcome of civilisational contact has been the trade routes. Comparable to the modern North-Eastern states like Assam and Sikkim, Tripura had one of the oldest trading routes in the region. This trading routes had connected the region with neighbouring kingdoms and to important trading centres, learning centres, and culture centres in South East Asia – which was the hub of Buddhism. In fact, the arrival of Buddhism in Tripura is as old as the trade routes, but this is one dimension that has been rarely explored. The influence of culture contact is manifested in the art, architecture, folklore, dresses, religion, myths, and the economic livelihood of the people of Tripura state. Undoubtedly, trade routes does not only have an economic and commercial function, but along with it comes the exchange of religious ideas, technological innovations, new cultural forms, music, and even stories and myths. The special lecture is an attempt to unravel these dynamics between cultural developments, Buddhism, and trade routes in the state of Tripura.

II. 12.03.2021: Live seminar on Postcolonial Issues and Concerns of Arunachal Tribes: An Anthropological Understanding

Distinguished speaker

Prof. Sarit Kumar Chaudhuri

HoD, Deparment of Anthropology,

Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh

 

 

 

 

Gist of the seminar

The Northeast Frontier Agency(NEFA), now Arunachal Pradesh, forms the 24th state of Indian Republic. Its political boundary covers largest geographical landscape amongst ‘Eight Sister’states in North-East India (NEI). The frontier state spreads over 1,030 kilometres that share international borders with China along McMahon line towards north; Bhutan in west; Myanmar in south along Pataki rangeand domestic frontiers with Assam and Nagaland in south-west. It situates within 26 ̊ 28’ N latitudes and 29 ̊ 30’ N and 91 ̊ 20’ E and 97 ̊ 30’ E longitudes; covering the eastern Himalayan ranges, undulating terrains, hill slopes and river valleys. The altitude ranges between 578 metres to 7090 metres above sea level with Kangte as highest peak (7090 metres). The climate varies from high humidity in the foothill areas and extreme cold in high altitudes. After Meghalaya, it receives the highest rainfall of 350 cm per annum. Heavy rainfall feeds the perennial rivers viz., Subansiri, Siang, Kameng, Lohit, Tirap, Dibang, Digaru, Nao-Dihing and Ranganadi meandering down river valleys. The confluence of river tributaries forms Brahmaputra river in Assam.

As per 2011 census, the political boundary of state covers 83,743 square kilometres (2.55% of India’s total area) with population of 13, 83,727. It is administratively divided into 25 districtshousing 24 major tribes. The state exhibits diverse ethnic cultures with vibrant songs, dances, dresses, festivals and rituals. The people sustain lifestyles by exerting vivacity of cultural heritages. The tribes are categorized into four types based on their material culture, religion and region (Elwin, 1962; Blackburn, 2004). The Lamaistic-Buddhist group in north- west along Bhutan and Chinese borders includes Monpa, Sherdukpen, Memba, Kamba and Meyor tribe. Therewith, the indigenous faith groups comprising of Aka, Miji, Sulung, Bugun and Bangru resides in neighbouring territory. In the central region, the Tani group venerating Donyipoloismcomprising of Adi, Apatani, Galo, Nyishi, Nah, Tagin, and Mishmis revering Intayaism and Mataism. In the southern belt, the Hinayana Buddhist group like Khampti and Singpho jointly resides. Further, the Nocte, Wancho, Tangsa and Tutsa tribe professing neo- Vaishnavism and Rangfraism dwells along Pataki tracts

II. 03.2021: Offline seminar on “Tribal Livelihood and Environment in North East India”

Expert speaker
Mr. El YangerAier, IFS
Former Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests-cum-Director (Commercial)and Director (operation) of Odisha Forest Development Corporation.
Gist of the seminar

 

North-East India is richly endowed with a great a variety of plant and animal life, including many endemic species of plants. The eastern Himalayan province of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur is considered as one of the two hotspots of biodiversity in India, the second being the Western Ghats. Half of the total number of floral species of India occurs in this region. The region forms the richest reservoir of genetic variability; and the presence of a large number of primitive plants makes North-East India the ‘cradle of flowering plants’. On account of its unique geographical, topographical, altitudinal and ecological variation, the region has been the theatre of evolutionary development of several angiosperms, like Magnolias, Michelia, Rhododendron, Camellia and orchids. The region, as a whole, forms the active speciation zone due to natural mutation, hybridisation and floral evolution. The forests of the North-East are the storehouse of the wild species of many important cultivated plants like paddy, banana, citrus, jute, sugarcane, ginger and tea, with genetic variety met even in these plants. The region is considered the natural home of several citrus species, and it has been unequivocally established that Citrus indica, Citrus assamensis, Citrus macroptera, Citrus ichangensis and several other species of citrus are indigenous to North-Eastern Himalayan region. F. Kingdon Ward, the renowned plant explorer who explored the North-Eastern region of India botanically, observed that ‘the botanical collection from Assam Himalayas (Balipara Frontier tract) amounts to nearly a thousand species including an unknown number’.

The rich biodiversity of the North-East region owes itself, firstly, to its location on the margin of the tropics, though low Brahmaputra valley with high monsoon summer rainfall creates ecological conditions that are comparable to those of tropics. Secondly, the altitudinal zonation, from Brahmaputra valley to the lofty Himalayas, creates conditions that are akin to latitudinal zonation from the equatorial region to temperate latitudes. Thus, in North-East India, there is a wide range of vegetation varying from the tropical plants in the Brahmaputra lowland to the temperate and cold temperate species in the Himalayan region, beyond 3,000–4,000 m ASL. In fact, even ‘the Himalayan range’, as Troupe once observed, ‘exhibits climatic regions beginning from tropical, through sub-tropical, warm and cool temperate to alpine and arctic, and changes in the forest flora are marked by well-defined zones of altitude’. Yet, another reason for the rich biodiversity of the region is its location on the crossroad of different botanical provinces, Chinese, Southeast Asian and Indian. One may even add that before the arrival of the British in the early nineteenth century, the flora of the region was virtually untouched and the much reviled shifting cultivation, jhuming, practised by a small tribal population, did not inflict very severe damage. But as the population increased, economy expanded and an industrial era arrived, ever increasing damage was done to the richness and variety of flora as well fauna of the region.

IV. 11.11.2021: Live Workshop on Methodology and Ethics of Ethnographic Film-Making in North East India

Resource person
Dr. Avitoli G. Zhimo
Associate professor, Department of Anthropology
University of Delhi and Assistant Director Centre for Himalayan Studies University of Delhi
Gist of the seminar

 

 

 

 

Images have played an important role in anthropological and ethnological researches. It is not merely ethnographic descriptions, concepts and theories that have aided anthropologists and ethnographers in the construction of “others”, but visual aid has played a large role. In the mid-nineteenth century, anthropologists like E.B. Tylor, A.C. Haddon and Henry Balfour began collecting photographs about the people they studied. This possibly was the beginning of visual anthropology, since the development of cameras in the 1860s had tremendously transformed the practice of anthropology as a discipline. But it also brought a great deal of ethical and methodological issues to the fore.

Visual representation is an important cultural activity of humans, but using technological extension to study human cultures came late; and here ethnographers have played an important role. The development of visual aid as a part of ethnographic studies has given rise to a sub-field known as visual anthropology.

In the context of India, the Victorians have first used photography to document the population, and here the tribes have been a favourite subject. This leads us to the question of how the Indian communities and tribes have been represented in the colonial period. It is through the visual representations that the natives have been largely represented as illiterate and backward, and therefore inferior to the Europeans in physique and appearances. In places like north-east India, terms like uncivilized, barbarians and wild races have been used to denote the tribal population. This necessitates the contemporary scholarship to discuss and debate the ethical and methodological issues as to how disciplines like anthropology and ethnology have represented the “other”.

If we look into the history of colonial representation of Indian tribes, ethical issues like privacy, informed consent and misrepresentation have been a problem. With the advancement of technology, ethnographic films and documentary films have become a powerful medium in the study of society and cultures, and therefore discussions on the methodological and ethical issues are the need of the hour.

The north-east has a long history of colonialism and social science disciplines have developed at the backdrop of the colonial rule, and therefore decolonising these disciplines will bring not only bring academic rigour, but also provide empathy to the academicians and scholars to study the diverse Indian populations and cultures.

Publications of CoE, CNEIS, 2020-2021

  • Dora, Jayanti and Kamalakanta Behera. 2021. “Tribes and Traditions of North-East India.” In Local Government Quarterly, XCI(2): 62–80.
  • Chophy, G.K. and Jayanti Dora 2021. “A Comparative Study of the Kond’sMeriah Practice and Headhunting Practice of the Naga Tribes.” In Utkal Historical Research Journal (forthcoming).
  • Chophy, G.K. 2021. “Critical Reflections on the Konyak Naga Ethnography.” In The Oriental Anthropologist. Sage.doi: 10.1177/0972558X211036599.
  • Chophy, G.K. 2021. “Ethnic Attachments and Alterations among Nagas in the Indo-Myanmar Borderlands.” In Jelle J.P. Wouters and Michael T. Heneise (eds) Routledge Handbook of Highland Asia. Routledge: New York and London (forthcoming).
  • Chophy, G.K. 2021. “Frontier Baptists.” In Jelle J.P. Wouters and Tanka B. Subba (eds) Northeast India: An Introduction. Routledge: New York and London (forthcoming).
  • Chophy, G.K. 2021. Christianity and Politics in Tribal India: Baptist Missionaries and Naga Nationalism. New York: State University of New York Press

Title: A Study of Naga Traditional Food and Food Tourism in the State of Nagaland in North-East India

Introduction:

The North-East region of India is blessed with spectacular landscapes, rich agrobiodiversity and diverse cultural heritage. These features have made North-East India a potential tourist hub. The North-East region is also known as a politically sensitive zone beset with problems and conflicts of various kinds, but studies have shown that the growth of tourism is one of the important indicators of progress and socio-economic development. And in recent decades, the growth of tourism has witnessed an increase in the eight states of North-East India. The popular tourisms in North-East India includes adventure tourism, ecotourism, and cultural tourism attracting both international and domestic tourists. Nevertheless, there are many aspects of the region that have still not been explored to facilitate growth of tourism, inclusive growth, and sustainable socio-economic development. In this regard food tourism or culinary tourism is one area that the region is famous for, but which has not been fully explored.

Food tourism is coming to the forefront of tourism industry, since for many people it is an important criterion of choosing a tourist destination. Food tourism or culinary tourism is intricately woven with culture and tradition of a place. Food is the closest thing that a person can have the personal experience about the place, and which also connects people from different places and traditions. North-East India, which houses different cultures and ethnic communities, is also a treasure trove of traditional food and cuisines. There are more than 200 ethnic communities inhabiting the region and each of them have their own culinary knowledge, food habits, and methods of food preparation. It may be said that foods from some North-eastern states have become widely popular in other parts of the country.

Review of Literature:

The Naga traditional food and cuisine is hitherto the preserve of food bloggers, food enthusiasts, and travellers. There has been a few research study on some aspects of Naga food, but mostly related to sustainability, entomophagy, and medicinal value. No systematic research has been carried out studying Naga traditional food to explore the potential of food tourism in the state. Thus this study will be one of a kind in establishing a research base that will shed light on policymaking, marketing, and promotion of Naga traditional food to a wider audience.

Reference

  • Jamir, N.S., Takatemjan and Limasemba (2010). “Traditional Knowledge of Lotha-Naga tribes in Wokha district, Nagaland,” Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, Vol 9, pp. 45- 48.
  • Medhi, P., Kar, A, Borthakur, Sashin, K. (2013). “Medicinal uses of wild edible plants among the Ao Nagas of Mokokchung and its vicinity of Nagaland, India,” Asian Resonance, Vol II (IV), pp. 64-67
  • Singh, Premkumar N., PR Gajurel, and P Rethy (2015), “Ethnomedicinal value of traditional food plant used by the Zeliang tribe of Nagaland,” Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, Vol. 14 (2), pp. 298–305

Research Gap

Food tourism potential in Nagaland

The state of Nagaland presents a unique case with regard to traditional cuisines and food habits, since Naga tribes still largely follow and practice traditional knowledge that has been passed down generation. Food comprises an important aspect of the Naga culture and identity. Traditional food among the Nagas is connected with their knowledge of sustainability, food security, and close relationship with the environment. The Naga tribes’ knowledge about varieties of eatable plants, herbs, and varieties of faunal species is rich and diverse. There are sixteen tribes in Nagaland state and each tribe has its rich tradition of cuisines and food procurement knowledge. The Naga traditional food is known for its natural ingredients and an important source of organic food with important health benefits.

There are sixteen official tribes in Nagaland each with rich cultural heritage and practice regarding food and culinary knowledge. Of late the Naga traditional knowledge is fast changing due to modernity, which is also affecting the food practices, since homogenisation of food habits and fast food culture is affecting the Naga tribes in a huge wary. This study does not seek to exoticise the traditional food of the Naga tribes, but to understand the various Naga traditional foods and culinary knowledge so as to document them, and provide important policy interventions to highlight the potential of Nagaland state as an important hotspot for food tourism.  Thus, there is a tremendous potential to protect the culture and heritage of Naga foods for its potential for food industry and business blending with modern culture and tradition. We propose to execute these activities with following objectives, so that the current types of food and culture of different Naga tribes will be documented.

Objectives

  1. To study and document the traditional cuisines of Naga tribes and its cultural relevance
  2. To study the potential and challenges of Naga traditional food in North-East India’s food industry.
  3. To study the relevance of Nagaland as a hotspot of food tourism with regard to India’s Act East Policy.
  4. To study and provide policy interventions for promoting traditional food in the state of Nagaland.

Methodology

The research study will be conducted in Kohima and Dimapur districts of Nagaland that are multiethnic and multicultural, and which receives the highest number of tourists in the states. A preliminary research survey will be carried out and depending on the findings research tools and techniques will be developed for data collection. There are a total of sixteen tribes in Nagaland, and the research project will aim to collect traditional food knowledge and practices from at least five Naga tribal groups.

Time line:

1st Year

1st six months: Preparation of questioner and survey work in Kohima district for important five tribes. Contacts and government permission to visit different tribes.

2nd six months: Data collection from Kohima district and survey work in Dimapur district for important five tribes.

2nd year

1st six months: Data collection from two districts for two to three times a year from all districts and meet with different ethnic groups. Organisation of food exhibition from different tribes in district level.

2nd six months: Analysis of data for both the districts. Collection of foods preparation methods and its documentations. Comparative analysis of foods and its use and implementation in North East states.

Budget

(Cost in Rupees)
Sl No. Head 1st year 2nd year Total Justification for budget
Non Recurring (Rupees in lakhs)
1. Handy Cam 50,000.00 – 50,000.00 Required for documentation purpose
2. Digital Camera 35,000.00 – 35,000.00 For photography one digital camera is required
Recurring (Rupees in Lakhs)
2. Manpower (1 x Project Fellow, @ Rs. 12,000/- each per month as per state govt. Higher Education Dept. rule) 1,44,000.00 1,44,000.00 2,88,000.00 One Project Fellow is required to work in field
3. Consumables 50,000.00 50,000.00 1,00,000.00 Microbial test in laboratory for food hygiene and nutritional quality
4. Travel 50,000.00 50,000.00 1,00,000.00 Travel to Nagaland is required time to time for collection of  data
5. Contingency 30,000.00 35,000.00 65,000.00 Required for printing photographs, preparation  books and reports
TOTAL 3,59,000.00 2,79,000.00 6,38,000.00

 

(Dr. G. KanatoChophy)                                                                                  (Prof. A. B. Das)

Principal Investigator                                                                          Co-Principal Investigator

  1. A database enlisting the scholars working in the field in India and South Asia with 3-4 sentences on their work and Institutional affiliates

List of North Eastern students at Regional Institute of Education, Bhubaneswar (05/09/2018)

Sl. No. Name of the Students State Sl. No. Name of the Students State
Ph. D. Course B.A. B.Ed Course
1 DaingampouKahmei Manipur 28 Tshering YangchenLepch Assam
M. Ed. Course 29 Arbasi Kumara Assam
1 AribamPratima Devi Manipur 30 Kritika Das Tripura
2 MeisuangdaiGonmei Manipur 31 Shibani Gupta Tripura
3 Duhaphi Annie Marsing Meghalaya 33 Amar Krishna Debnath Triura
4 NabanitaSaikia Assam 34 BiswardhanJamatia Tripura
5 SumanBarua Assam 35 Dibyendu Das Tripura
6 Priyanka Koch Assam 36 RabsunJaniRahaman Sikkim
7 Nilakshi Nag Tripura 37 Juhi Sharma Sikkim
8 MatrikaThapa Sikkim 38 Reshmi Das Tripura
9 N. B Pradhan Sikkim B.Sc. B.Ed Course
10 Suman Bharadwaja Assam 1 Aliya Manjo Arunachal P
B.A. B.Ed Course 2 Chandankumar  
1 KaithenmonVaiphei Manipur 3 Shankar Verma Assam
2 Dipika Hazarika Assam 4 Md. Shamsher Ahmad Sikkim
3 JosnaSonowal Assam 5 Bishwadip Roy Tripura
4 Elizabeth Sanching Manipur 6 Karam Biswarjit Singh Manipur
5 Mary TomyMalom Tripura 7 Kundan Kanu Assam
6 Nimkit Lepcha Sikkim 8 Anand Kumar Prasad Sikkim
7 Sikha Jaiswal Sikkim 9 Bipasha Das Tripura
8 Utsav Jha Arunachal Pradesh 10 Pooja Ghosh Assam
9 Nige Eko Assam 11 Molaya Mech Assam
10 Monashi Boruah Manipur 12 Sulagna Roy Chaudhury Tripura
11 NeloverKhwairakpam Tripura 13 Pratiksha Sharma Sikkim
12 Kalpana Chakma Meghalaya 14 Suhata Suman Tripura
13 Pushpita Kumari Tripura 15 Kh. Malemnganbi Manipur
14 Ankitasutradhar Tripura 16 TseringSangmo Bhutia Sikkim
15 Debalina Das Tripura 17 Jayshree Das Arunachal P
16 Aditi Kumari Assam 18 Uma Nagaland
17 Akansha Arunachal Pradesh 19 Deepshikha Assam
18 Anisha Chauhan Nagaland 20 Vidhushi Sikkim
19 Sayantani Sarkar Tripura 21 Rajeshwari Tripura
20 Lalita Limbu Sikkim 22 Pooja Manipur
21 Ananya Saikia Assam 23 Shambu Kumar Yadav Assam
22 Sandip Dep Tripura 24 Nitin Keshari Sikkim
23 KamtinKhupHaolai Manipur 25 Amit Kumar Tripura
24 Alen Rai Sikkim 26 Surmani Singh Kangenbam Assam
25 Dimple Das Assam 27 Aship Rai Assam
26 TongbramPoireinganbiChanu Manipur 28 Tenzing Namgyal Bhutia Tripura
27 Sanjuktasingh Tripura 29 Jayshree Das Assam

List of North Eastern students at Regional Institute of Education, Bhubaneswar  (Conti……)

Sl. No. Name of the Students State Sl. No. Name of the Students State
B.Sc. B.Ed Course B.Sc. B.Ed Course
30 Uma Tripura 53 KhwairakpamSanjoy Singh Manipur
31 Deepshikha Arunachal Pradesh 54 Dewanshu Mishra Nagaland
32 Vidhushi Arunachal Pradesh 55 KhrishnuSingha Tripura
33 Rajeshwari Tripura 56 AswinAdhikari Sharma Sikkim
34 Pooja Nagaland 57 Rinjhim Banerjee Nagaland
35 Shambu Kumar Yadav Arunachal Pradesh 58 KalzangwangmuBhutia Sikkim
36 Nitin Keshari Assam 59 PallaviBahuguna Meghalaya
37 Amit Kumar Assam 60 Sujata Pandey Arunachal Pradesh
38 Surmani Singh Kangenbam Manipur 61 Shraddha Sikkim
39 Aship Rai Sikkim 62 Sanga Tripura
40 TenzingNamgyalBhutia Sikkim 63 Archanasharma Arunachal Pradesh
41 AbinavMayank Tripura 64 Amit Jagar Nagaland
42 KreloEshia Manipur 65 BijeshJha Nagaland
43 RuprakTouthang Manipur 66 Tripurnari Ram Nagaland
44 AnuskaGauda Tripura 67 BhabeshRanjan Arunachal Pradesh
45 Supriya Dixit Arunachal Pradesh 68 Salam Purembam Manipur
46 Bidisha Jana Arunachal Pradesh 69 Rudy Ngangon Manipur
47 Priyanka Assam 70 Prabhat Sharma Nagaland
48 Sunetra Roy Assam 71 Rana PradapSingha Tripura
49 Puja Kannojia Arunachal Pradesh 72 Sawik Paul Tripura
50 Jagriti Singh Arunachal Pradesh 73 Subhprakash Dash Tripura
51 Anamika Arunachal Pradesh 74 Nitish Kumar Meghalaya
52 Naorem Berlin Singh Manipur Total 123

List of North East Members working in Odisha at different Sectors:

Sl No Name and Designation Contact No                 Email
1 Mr. WanboyLanu,

Deputy Director, AYJNISHD-RC, Janla Odisha

 7978932678 lanuwanboy@gmail.com

 
2 Mr. AdimMalangmei

Junior Officer, MHA

 7005593262 adim2b@gmail.com

 
3 Mr. Thongkholet Mate

Regional Director, CBSE Bhubaneswar Region

 0674-2542312, 2548812 rocbsebbsr@rediffmail.com

 
4 Dr. Elizabeth Gangmei

Assistant Prof in Education

Regional Institute of Education, Bhubaneswar.

 9438673622 gangmeie@yahoo.com

 
5 Dr. YengkhomKesorjit Singh

Assistant Prof, IIT Bhubaneswar

 0637119583 yksingh@iitbbs.ac.in

 
6 Mr. Luwang,

Chief Commercial Manager, IRTS

 8455885955
Mr. T. Thangsianmung Zou Assistant, Manager, RBI. 7002940662
7 Mr. L. Kamson

Manager (E), Nalco, Smelter Plant, Angul, Odisha

 9437138147 ikamson@nalcoindia.co.in

 
8 Mr. A.S. Sharma

Manager (M), Nalco Smelter

Angul, Odisha

 9437064520 aribam.sharma@nalcoindia.co.in

 
9 Mr. G. Allan Lyngdem

Asst G.M. (Mktg), Corporate office, Nalco, Bhubaneswar

 9433038322 galyndem@nalcoindia.co.in

 
10 Mr. ChawngtuolurChangsan

Social Workers ( N.G.0)

 9777228431 hrawtehmar@rediffmail.com

 
11 Mr. HeshenaSema

Asst. Manager, Union Bank of India

 9488459817 heshenasema@gmail.com

 
12 Mr. HorthingZimik

Research Scholar at IIT BBSR

 7377095732 hv11@iitbbs.ac.in

 
13 Mr. HimadriBaisya 8093803053 hb10@iitbbs.ac.in
14 Mr. Tatu Tagru 9402435114 tt10@iitbbs.ac.in
15 H. Kipgen,

Indian coast guard aviation Air Electrical (Technical ground crew)

 9496003713
16 Mr. ParthaGogoi pg14@iitbbs.ac.in
17 Mr. Sadziikhokriibve,

MBBS student SUM Hospital

 9871361884
18 Mr. Gareth Lyngwa,

PG, at SCB Cuttack
19 Mr. Marseibor S. Lyndoh

World Vision (N.G.O).

 9445796876

 
20 Smt. PusaZhuleMekro,

IFS, Regional Chief Conservator of Forests, Forest Dept of Odisha

     9437034972,

9437489166
21 Shri E. L. YangerAier,

IFS, Director (Commercial),

OFDC Ltd Odisha.

     9437556056
22 KumoniPiku

PGT, DAV BBS

 

    7470940256 komunipiku018@gmail.com

 
23 Farwell Umlong

Social Worker (NGO)

    7653016306
24 Alice Chongloi  (NGO)
25 KumarjeebPegu

Assistant Prof in Law (KIIT)

10.List of Institutions/Centres/Departments who are committed in this kind of work
International Scientist/ Educationalist/Experts

    1. Thomas Reuter, Senior Vice President, International Union of Anthropologists & Future Fellow, Australian Research Council, Asia Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia, E-mail:treuter@unimelb.edu.au; Collaboration with Prof. S. M. Patnaik, VC, Utkal University & working on social anthropology.
    2. Dr. Noel B. Salazar, Faculty of Cultural Mobilities Research, Katholic University, Leuven, Belgium, E-mail:noel.salazar@kuleuven.be; Collaboration with Prof. S. M. Patnaik, VC, Utkal University & working on social anthropology and cultural evolution of  different community.
    3. J. Dolezal, Director, Institute of Experimental Biology, Olomouc, Czech Republic, E-mail:dolezel@ueb.cas.cz; Scientific collaborator with Prof. A. B. Das  and Field of Molecular Cytogenetics.
    4. Eva Hibrova, Scientist, Institute of Experimental Biology, Olomouc, Czech Republic, E-mail:hribova@ueb.cas.cz; Scientific collaborator with Prof. A. B. Das and  Field of  Genome  analysis Molecular cytology and breeding.
    5. Rony Swennen, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Uganda; Highland banana breeding of South Africa, E-mail:rony.swennen@kuleuven.be
    6. James Dale, Centre for Agriculture and Bio-commodity, Queensland University and Technology, Brisbane, Australia: Transgenic vitamin and iron enrich banana development of Australia, Email:j.dale@qut.edu.au
    7. Ling Yuan, Executive Director, Kentuky Tobacco Research Development Centre, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, USA, E-mail:lyuan3@uky.edu; Field of Medicinal plant metabolomics.
    8. SitakantaPattnaik, Senior Scientist, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, USA; Scientific collaborator and Field of Biotechnology and Molecular Bology.
    9. Lavernee S. Gueco, Institute of Plant Breeding, University of Phillippines Los Banos, Philippines; Working in crop breeding and banana germplasm conservation.
    10. AgusSutanto, Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development, Indonesia, E-mail: bagusutanto.03@gmail.com; Working in crop breeding and banana germplasm conservation.
    11. Leena Tripathy,East Africa Hub, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nairobi, Kenya, E-mail:l.tripathy@cgiar.org; Working on tissue culture and mass propagation of disease free banana.
    12. Dr. B. Uwimama, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), East Africa Hub, Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; Molecular breeding in Agricultural crops mainly of banana for disease resistant development

Institute scientist North East India

  1. Dinabandhu Sahoo, Professor, Dept. Of Env. Science, Delhi University, Delhi & Former Director, ISBD, Imphal, Manipur, E-mail:dbsahoo@htmail.com; Planning of R&D in Science and Technology of Manipur Govt.
  2. . KananbalaSarangthem, Centre of Advanced Studies, Department of Life Sciences, Manipur University, Imphal – 795003, Manipur, India. Email:kananbala_s@rediffmail.com; Collaborator with Prof. A. B. Das and working in the field of physiology and biochemistry of microbe and plant Biodiversity of  Manipur.
  3. Lingaraj Sahoo, School of Life Science,IIT Guwahati , Assam, E-mail:lingaraj_sahoo@yahoo.com; Collaborator with Prof. A. B. Das and working in the biotechnology of pulses and secondary metabolites of Agar Plant of Assam for industry.
  4. Mahendra Kumar Modi,Head, Agricultural Biotechnology & Coordinator DIC, Assam Agriculture University, Barbheta, Jorhat, Assam 785013, Email:mkmodi@aau.ac.in; Scientific collaborator with Prof. A. B. Das and working with Genome mapping of Vimkol banana of Assam.
  5. Bhaben Tanti, Dept. of Botany, Guwahati University, Assam,Email:btanti@gauhati.ac.in; Collaborator with Prof. A. B. Das and Genetic Diversity of Banana and other minor food crops.
  6. Rabindra Kumar Sinha, Dept of Botany, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, West Tripura, Tripura, E-mail:khsinhark@gmail.com; Collaborator with Prof. A. B. Das and working with banana tissue culture, bamboo and other medicinal plants of Tripura.
  7. Bimal Debnath, Department of Forestry,   Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, West Tripura, Tripura, E-mail:bimalbc@rediffmail.com; Collaborator with Prof. A. B. Das and working with wild yam and other  medicinal plants of Tripura.
  8. S. Sureshkuar Singh,Associate Professor, Department of Foresty, North Eastern, Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST), Nirjuli, Arunachal Pradesh – 791109, E-mail:suresh@nerist.ac.in; Collaborator with Prof. A. B. Das and working with wild banana biodiversity of Arunachal Pradesh.
  9. Moaakum¸ Kohima Science College, Jotsoma, Nagaland; Working with plant taxonomy of Nagaland.
  10. Animesh Sarkar, Nagaland University, Medziphema, Nagaland; Working with banana germplasm collection, conservation and agronomic practises of  Nagaland.
  11. S. Indira Devi, Scientist-C Back To Scientist List Contact Info Phone No: +91- Office: +91-385-2446122 (Ext: 204), Lab: (Ext: 226) E-mail Id: sidevi1@yahoo.co.in; indiraibsd@gmail.com;Research openings Research Interests Microbial diversity analysis from different unique ecological niches Plant-microbe interaction study Microbial biopesticides and enzyme production.
  12. Thanhjan Robert Singh, Mizoram University, Mizoram; Working on wild banana of Mizoram.
  13. Samual Rai, Director, Directorate of Cinchona & other Medicinal Plants, Mangpoo, Darjeeling,Dept. of Food processing Industries& Horticulture, Govt. of West Bengal, E-mail: samualrai@yahoo.com
  14. S. K. Barik, Director, CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow and Professor North Eastern Hill University, Sillong.
  15. ArunavaPattnaik, Director, Diretor, ICAR-VPKAS, Almora.
  16. H. Sunitibala Devi, Scientist-D, Institute of Bioresource and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Takyelpat Industrial Area, Imphal – 795 001, Manipur, India, Office: +91-385-2446120/22 (Extn #243),E-mail Id: huidrom_sunitibala@rediffmail.com; sunitibala.ibsd@nic.in; Research activities on plant tissue culture of fruit crops and ornamental plants.
  17. BiseshworiThongam, Scientist-D, Office: +91-385-2446122 (Ext: 221) E-mail Id: bisheshwori.ibsd.nic.in; b_thongam07@yahoo.com; Research Interests Plant Systematics and Conservation   Research Focus on medicinal, aromatic and horticultural plant resources of the Indian region of the Indo Burma biodiversity hotspot for sustainable development and utilization.
  18. Lokesh Deb,Scientist-C (IBSD, Sikkim Centre) Back To Scientist List Contact Info Phone No: +91- Office: +91- E-mail Id: lokeshdeb.ibsd@nic.in; lokeshdeb@gmail.com, His secondary research focus was evaluation of antihypertensive traditional medicines for developing economic and also folklore infertility agents for developing natural, effective, economic and safe male & female contraceptive.
  19. EvanyllaKharlyngdoh, Scientist-C, IBSD, Manipur, E-mail: evanylla@gmail.com, Survey and documentation of important medicinal and aromatic plants used in traditional/folklore medicines of North-East India. Bamboo resources utilization and technology development towards clean and green economic growth.
  20. S. N. Jena, Senior Scientist, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, E-mail:satyanarayanjena2005@yahoo.co.in; Collaborator with Prof. A. B. Das and working in the molecular biology of wild banana of North East and molecular ecology of Oak tree of Meghalaya and secondary metabolites of  Canabis of  Manipur.
  21. (Mrs.) S. Uma, Director, National Research Institute of Banana, Trichi, Tamil Nadu; – Working in the wild banana germplasms of North East India.
  22. (Mrs.) S. Backiyarani, Director, National Research Institute of Banana, Trichi, Tamil Nadu; – Collaborator with Prof. A.B. Das and working in the biotechnology of banana and banana breeding of  North East India and world genotypes.
  23. Jajabandhu Panda, Central Agricultural University, NH 31A, East Sikkim, Ranipool, Gangtok, Gangtok, Sikkim. Agricultural education and Research.
  24. Prakash Saranghi, Central Agricultural University, Manipur. Agricultural Research and Education, E-mail:sarangi.biotech@gmail.com.
  25. Nilamani Dikshit, ICAR-Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, U.P., E-mail:dikshit@gmail.com; Plant Genetic Resources of North East Indian States.

11.Way forward

 Towards a stronger linkage with North Eastern States

The North Eastern region of India comprising of eight (8) states has, over the centuries, seen an extraordinary mixing of different races, cultures, languages and religions leading to a diversity rarely seen elsewhere in India. The intra-regional differences in social, political and economic life in the profile as one of the most bio-diverse regions has a great potential for more exploration and a rationale for stronger linkages with the rest of the country for holistic growth. Significant issues of the region which called for concerted attention are; conflict and livelihood, ethnicity and identity, human rights, cultural practices, land and its resources, environment and climate change; North East India and its peripheral areas, traditional institutions, India’s Look East Policy, inclusive growth, governance, gender, tradition and modernity, state and civil society, disaster management etc.

Utkal University, known as the Mother University in the State of Odisha, has a distinguished history as one of the highest numbers of educational departments in the country. The university with a vision and mission to create an enlightened and productive civil society and disseminate knowledge through interdisciplinary research and creative inquiry in developing a meaningful and sustainable society offered a sustainable platform for better understanding of the North East Region. More significantly, the Utkal university being situated at a strategic point in the Eastern region of India.  Students and scholars from the North Eastern states can easily access to it and indulge in a pragmatic study of the North Eastern Region. Moreover, the university with an enormous resource can widen the role of being a leading research and resource centre of excellence and a cosmopolitan hub for the academic community, researchers, professionals and policy-makers on key issues of North Eastern Region and its neighbourhood as well as to create a bridge between field and policy, between the North East and the rest of India.

This vision in tandem with inclusive growth and the look east policy of the Government need a collaborative effort of academics, administrators, policy makers, civil society actors and activists interested in the region and its neighbouring areas to dialogue on its various challenges and prospects through workshops, seminars, lectures, research collaborations and cultural events as well as research publications while also tapping the potential for collaborative research. In this context, it is pertinent to begin with an academic body to chart a framework for setting a space at the University for centre of North East India studies.  Actualization of this objectives will pave a way for achieving the aspiration of comprehensive and inclusive growth of the Nation. Thus, (i)Promote mutual understanding between youth from North East India and Odisha (ii) Observe and study the daily lives and societies of each other (iiii)Promote positive attitude, mutual understanding, tolerance and international responsibility Contribute to a mutual cross-cultural pedagogic development will be the main focus of the Centre of Excellence.

FUTURE COURSE OF ACTION

The Centre of Excellence in North East India Study (CNEIS) at Utkal University envisages emerging as a Centre dedicated to expand the mutual understanding and development between NE India and Odisha, and also the rest of India through three areas of actvities i.e. teaching-learning, research and extention activities. It plans set both long-term and short-term goals for these three area in order to achieve its objectives, that are as follows;

  1. Teaching & Learning

(a) Offering Credit Based Free Elective Course: In order to fill the knowledge and intrest gap between NE and the rest of the country, especially Odisha, CNEIS intends to design a free elective course at PG level dedicated to the understanding of the entire NE India among the students of Utkal University (tlater, to be expanded to students from other institutions) covering issues relating to history & culture, economic institutions and trades and commerce, political movements and actions; natural resources and biodiversity, traditional knowledge system & science and technology; and language & literature etc. [in short term, this can be offered from the next academic session after design and due approval from AC].

(b) Exchange of students, scholars and faculty: CNEIS would become a springboard where fertilization of ideas will take place through active engagement and exchanges of postgraduate students, research scholars and faculty members with like minded institutes in NE India and Odisha [both in short and long term, this can be initiated immediately with RUSA-2.0 support, later on funding can be generated through various government, NGOs and charitable trusts].

      (c) Collaborative mode of course design and teaching-learning: In order to creat a critical mass of scholars dedicated to carry out comprative study and research at the top-end of higher education, faculty members from like-minded selected universities from NE India and Odisha can develop course curriculum at M.Phil / Ph.D level so that basic research in various schools such as humanities, scoial sciences, manangement, science & technology can be promoted [in short term, this can be offered from the next academic session].

  1. Research Activities

(a) Promotion of Inter-disciplinary, Inter-institutional and Collaborative Research through Extra-mural Funding: The CNEIS intends to emerge as a Centre that would promote inter-disciplinary, inter-institutional and collaborative research through extra-mural funding and support from state and central funding agencies and charitable trusts. The project proposals would primarily designed to address issues that have high social and policy implications with aim at solving societal needs. This will be linked to the sustainability issue of the Centre.

(b) Research through Community Engagement: Since a large section of common people from both Odisha and NE India still engaged in activities having link with traditional knowledge system (TKS) in several fields – ranging from biodiversity, medicinal plants, water conservation and use of renewable energy, it would be meaningful to engage common people and inheritors of TKS as research collaborators in basic research, documentation and application. This can be done by Taking the Centre (CNEIS) to the Community approach. For example, the CNEIS can facilitate a writers groups from NE and ask them to write folktales and become authors and that where CNEIS becomes only the facilitator.

  1. Extension Activities

(a) Organisation of International, National and State level Seminars and Workshops on  various  aspects of social,cultural,economic, and political life of the people of NE as well as Odisha to formulate plans and policies for the holistic development of these regions.

(b) Exhibition of Art, Craft, Food, Literature, Film & othe Tangible Cultural Heritage: The CNEIS would undertake exhibitions on various fields and items on a regular interval (every quarter) in order to promote mutual understanding and awareness about NE Indian, especially among the youth of Odisha.

(c) Organize various competitions on NE India: In order to promote and popularise NE India study by students from Odisha, the CNEIS would organize various competitions such as Quiz, Essay and Debate etc. among the PG students of Utkal University.

By initiating and organizing these multi-farious activities, the CNEIS is not only planning to popularise the Centre among the NE lovers in Odisha but engage in serious, issue-based and problem-solving oriented research Centre of Excellence with quality, equity and excellence as its core value.

 Prof. Jayanti Dora
Coordinator
CoE,CNEIS

Utkal University, Vani Vihar,

Bhubaneswar 751004, Odisha, India

Mobile:+91-7008094243

E-mail:Jayanti.dora69@gmail.com