Kohima, February 12 (MExN): The Department of History, Tetso College in collaboration with Sacred Heart College, Vellore organized an ICSSR sponsored two-day online national seminar on the theme ‘The Quest for Emancipation: Intellectual Traditions among the Dalits and Tribes in India’ on February 10 to 11.
The host college in a press release stated that the seminar began with an inaugural programme chaired by Eastrose Miachieo, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Tetso College and the participants were welcomed by Dr Hewasa L Khing, Principal of Tetso College through her inaugural address.
Professor Y Chinna Rao, Professor & Chairperson, Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi delivered the keynote address. He stressed on how Dalits and Adivasis are largely invisible in narratives and most of their information have come from missionary travel records and census reports and how the rewriting of intellectual reconstruction of Dalit identity began with Dr Ambedkar, MC Rajah who played key roles in forming a new identity for the Dalits in the late 19th century. He also spoke on the Dalit literary movement that began in the 1960s and opined that the process of reconstruction of identity of the marginalised group happened through education.
In the technical sessions, a host of scholars and academicians from across India and abroad presented their research papers during this intellectual engagement deliberating on the topics pertaining to Dalit writers, Dalit women, intellectual traditions among the tribals, Dalit politics, Dalit protests in Tamil Nadu, analyzing historical writings of Naga society with interdisciplinary approach, politics of knowing and not knowing Northeast India and many more.
The seminar ended with a valedictory session where the participants shared their experiences and gave feedback. Dr Tatongkala, Convenor of the seminar closed the seminar with the closing remarks and distribution of certificates to the participants.
