UU & SCSTRTI to organize Indian Anthropological Congress

Department of Anthropology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar and Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribe Research & Training Institute, Bhubaneswar under the auspices of Indian National Confederation and Academy of Anthropologists (INCAA) will organize the Indian Anthropological Congress 2015 at Bhubaneswar during 21-23 February 2015. The Focal Theme chosen for deliberations during the Congress is ‘Tribal Transformations in Contemporary India: Issues and Challenges”. The Congress will organize a Round Table session, two Memorial Lectures, several Plenary / Technical / Scientific and Open Sessions. All fellow professionals are cordially invited to attend the Congress.

Addressing the Prof. conference Ms. Sabita Acharya, Head,P.G. Department of Anthropology, Utkal University said, ” the basis of distribution of principal basis of livelihoods, tribals in India demonstrate an enormous range from gatherers-hunters through pastorals and food-growers to practitioners of post-institutional economy. This very range suggests phases of transformations based on adoption of technology and consequent socio-cultural differentiation. What appears essential, therefore, is to cultivate a different kind of sensitivity, initially for appropriate understanding of the extant of variety of tribal livelihood patterns and then to formulate adoption strategies with special emphasis on felt-needs of the concern people.”

“Before planning development initiatives, it is essential  to make a comprehensive careful assessment of ground realities as they exist in tribal India and in 21st century it remains a big challenge for us as to how the tribal transformations in contemporary India will result in the tribal people considering themselves as important partners in the march towards an inclusive society and sustainable development , says Prof. A. K . Das, VC, UU.

The Indian National Confederation and Academy of Anthropologists (INCAA), established in March, 2004 as a registered body is a pan-Indian organization.  It aims at functioning as a federating body of professional Anthropologists and active regional professional Anthropological bodies. INCAA provides a nodal platform for effective communication among professional anthropologists. Its primary role is to promote the cause of Anthropology and Anthropologists, particularly of those having association with India. INCAA aims at promoting Anthropology as a discipline, within as well outside the University system, particularly within governments and voluntary organizations and to ensure its effective interventions at the policy planning level on issues concerning interdisciplinary and holistic human development.

Department of Anthropology, Utkal University,  is one of the oldest Departments of Anthropology in India. It is the first Anthropology Department in the country to have been awarded the ASHISS grant by the UGC, during 2003-05. It received the Department of Special Assistance status (DSA Programme) by UGC for three successive phases from 1988 to 2007. Six Professors were elected as President in the Anthropological and Behavioural Sciences session of the Indian Science Congress (ISCA) in various years. Faculty members have won prestigious fellowships at both national and international levels at various phases which include Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, Commonwealth Academic Staff Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Titular Development Post-doctoral ACU Fellowship, UK; Scholarship for Study Abroad by Govt. of India for doing Ph.D., Indo-French Cultural Exchange Programme.

At various phases the Department has collaboration with a number of international and national centres/organizations which include University of Sussex, State University of New York, Orissa German Project, Indian Council for Medical Research, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Anthropological Survey of India, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal; Madurai Kamraj University etc. Prof. Kishore K. Basa, Member Secretary, INCAA and Mr. Ramahari Jena of Regional Centre, Lait Kala Akademi were also present in the meeting.