New Delhi, June 20: Indira Gandhi National Open University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bhasha Research and Publication Centre (BRPC) for studies on tribals.
The pact is expected to open doors for ensuring legal protection of tribal knowledge in India. The guest of honour at the meet was eminent writer and activist Padma Vibhushan Mahashweta Devi, who has been tirelessly working for tribal welfare. Vice-Chancellor Professor V N Rajasekharan Pillai along with senior government officials from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Human Resource Ministry and trustees of BRPC and officials of IGNOU were the other attendees.
In her address, Mahashweta Devi said, ”Tribals know much more than us. They are more environmentally conscious. They have preserved forests, rivers, hills, birds and animals for thousands of years, not us. And still we refer to them as ‘uncivilised’. This motivated me to take up fight for them. I belong to them.” She remarked that the tribals are finally getting their due with the signing of the MoU.
The main objectives of the MoU are to recognise BRPC and its partner organisations, Himlok and Adivasi Academy as a special autonomous centre of IGNOU, to create and institute courses in Tribal studies and develop and run research programmes in tribal studies.
—–Agencies