KISS-DU Inks MoU with IBRAD

On 6^th July, 2022, KISS-DU or KISS Deemed to be University inked an MoU or Memorandum of Understanding with IBRAD or the Indian Institute of Bio-Social Research and Development, ( Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Tribal Development, Ministry of Tribal Development) Kolkata. The most important points of the collaboration include: hold filed and research activities jointly; organise different residential training programmes; exchange human resources between both the institutions; organise both national and international symposia, conferences and seminars on topics of common interest; exchange resources/documentary videos/audio visuals; promote short-term internship of the trainees for different assignments; work together jointly for organising the World Anthropology Congress on 2023 successfully and come up with a mini tribal museum at KISS-DU along with community museums at the village levels to focus on PVTGs with proper support of IBRAD.

The Founder Chairman and the Professor at Indian Institute of Bio-Social Research and Development, Kolkata, Professor Shree Bhagwan Roy delivered the highly distinguished and most welcoming lecture on Digital Ethnography for Sustainable Tribal Development to make the MoU the most functional one. His presentation features visuals from the tribal villages of Odisha and Chhattisgarh highlighting the way digital ethnography is being sustainably practiced in the tribal villages to conduct research for proper development. Professor Roy said Ethnographic research forms the basis of anthropological studies and further added that the study of digital ethnography is important for understanding the social world. The study of digital ethnography can also shape the methods and methodology while providing different technological tools required for undertaking research in society, specifically in the tribal areas.

When sharing the IBRAD ideology, Professor Roy said that proper understanding of the Forest Mosaic arena and different social institutions is of great significance for Participatory Research and Outcome and for Digital Learning. He spoke descriptively on Social-ecological Processes and Current Cultural Practices for Livelihood while highlighting the idea of Eco Chain. He also expressed the intense requirement of conducting Capacity Building and Adoption of Appropriate Technology Programmes for accomplishing beneficial results in Digital Ethnography. Professor Roy concluded his lecture by appreciating the hard work of the authorities. He said, “I have never been to such an institution where happiness, values and culture is reflected on the students’ faces. I feel happy to be here as I can interact with students.”

Professor Deepak Kumar Behera, the Vice-Chancellor at KISS-DU welcomed the speakers while speaking earlier and touched upon some of the most crucial points of collaboration between both the institutions. Professor Behera even shared some of the most important milestones that Professor Roy has achieved. The Registrar at KISS-DU, Dr. Prashanta Kumar Routray spoke about the significance of data validation in field studies while stressing upon the need of conducting PRA or Participatory Rural Appraisal.

The former Vice Chancellor Utkal University of Culture, Bhubaneswar and the Professor Emeritus KISS-DU, Professor Kamal Kant Misra spoke about the need of Practicing Anthropologists in the developing nations in his address and even inspired students to give back to the society. Dr. Sushree Sangita Mohanty, the Assistant Professor at KISS-DU along with Dr. Disha Bhatt, the Deputy Coordinator at IQAC coordinated the MoU Signing ceremony and also proposed the Vote of Thanks.