Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav has urged academic institutions, researchers, policymakers, and civil society organisations to work in concert to preserve, document, promote, and reimagine the tribal heritage of Northeast India for contemporary audiences — stressing that cultural conservation and development must go hand in hand.
Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav has urged academic institutions, researchers, policymakers, and civil society organisations to work in concert to preserve, document, promote, and reimagine the tribal heritage of Northeast India for contemporary audiences — stressing that cultural conservation and development must go hand in hand.
Governor Speaks at National Seminar on Tribal Heritage
Addressing the inaugural session of a national seminar titled "Reappraising Tribal Heritage of Northeast India : Challenges and Prospects" at Nagaland University on Friday, Governor Yadav argued that heritage preservation should never be viewed as an obstacle to progress. On the contrary, he said, it is a means of making development culturally sensitive, inclusive, and sustainable.
Underlining the pivotal role of universities in safeguarding indigenous cultures, Yadav said Nagaland University is well-positioned to champion interdisciplinary research, promote local languages, strengthen indigenous knowledge systems, and bridge ancient wisdom with modern academic discourse. He described the extraordinary diversity of tribes, languages, customs, and traditions across Northeast India as an invaluable part of India's civilisational heritage.
Rapid Globalisation Threatening Cultural Roots
Expressing concern over the pressures of globalisation, modernisation, urbanisation, and rapid technological change, the Governor warned that many traditional institutions and cultural practices are gradually weakening. He noted that the use of indigenous languages is declining, oral traditions are disappearing, and younger generations are growing increasingly disconnected from their cultural roots. In this context, he said research, academic dialogue, and seminars of this nature are essential tools for protecting tribal identity.
Indigenous Wisdom Holds Answers to Global Challenges
Governor Yadav highlighted that tribal communities possess a remarkable body of traditional knowledge on environmental conservation, sustainable living, social harmony, and coexistence with nature. He argued that this indigenous knowledge system carries lessons of enduring relevance for addressing some of the most pressing global challenges of our time — including ecological imbalance and social cohesion.
The seminar's significance is underscored by Nagaland's unique demographic profile — over 86.5 percent of the state's approximately two million residents belong to various tribal communities. This makes the preservation and promotion of indigenous heritage a matter of profound social and cultural importance for the state.
The event was organised by the School of Humanities and Education at Nagaland University's Meriema Campus. Among the prominent speakers were Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Kohima Campus, Prof. N. Venuh, and Vice Chancellor Prof. Jagadish Kumar Pattanayak.
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