Bhubaneswar: In a bid to safeguard and promote traditional knowledge, the Central University of Odisha (CUO), Koraput will collaborate with Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi. In a press briefing Wednesday, CUO authorities announced that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect will be signed between the two institutions. Currently, 55 representatives from IGNCA are conducting field tour of the Koraput region, hosted by CUO. During the press meet, CUO VC Chakradhar Tripathi highlighted the potential of partnership with IGNCA to offer specialised courses in cultural studies, with focus on tribal culture.
Head of the Indian Literature department at IGNCA Arun K Bhardwaj, elaborated on the collaborative efforts for knowledge exchange and documentation. Bhardwaj lauded CUO as the sole central university collaborating with IGNCA in pursuing specialised courses in temple resources, natural resources, and tribal traditions. The partnership also entails the introduction of online courses for the dissemination of cultural knowledge and studies, along with the preservation and documentation of traditional knowledge in digital formats. In addition to the formal proceedings, attendees were treated to an exhibition showcasing the rich flora and fauna of the region, courtesy of students from CUO’s Department of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources (DBCNR). Moreover, a number of products made from millets, were also displayed on this occasion.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP