DHSK College sets up centre for research and development of tribes

DIBRUGARH: The DHSK College, Dibrugarh, one of the prestigious institutions of Assam, has established a Tribal Research and Development Centre (CTRD) for research and development of tribes of the nation.

There are more than 705 tribal communities in the country and majority of them are the inhabitants of the seven States of Northeast India. According to available statistics, there are more than 145 tribal communities in the north-eastern part of India, out of which 78 communities are of larger size. Some of the indigenous tribes of Assam are Boro, Dimasa, Sonowal, Kachari, Tiwa, Garo, Rabha, Sarania, Kachari, Hajong, Deori, Thengal Kachari, Mishing and Karbi. There is still lack of proper study and research on these tribes. The Tribal Research and Development Centre of DHSK College aims towards providing proper support for study and research on the socio-economic, educational, cultural and family life of these tribal communities.

The Principal of the college, Dr Sashi Kanta Saikia will supervise the activities of the centre and Dr Anup Jyoti Bharali, Head of the Department of Anthropology, and Dr. Nirmali Pegu, Head of Political Science department, are joint coordinators of the Centre. The Principal in a statement said that the Centre would provide an opportunity of study and research for the scholars, teachers and students of the college and outside the college as well.

Australian scholar Mark W Post, Lecturer in Linguistics, faculty of Arts and Social Science from University of Sydney, and an international academic advisor of DHSK College, will collaborate with the Centre and support in its development. The scholar has special experience of study and research on tribes from Northeast India and is also very fluent in Mishing and a number of other tribal languages.