A national seminar at Manipur University examines how Northeast India’s traditional knowledge can support education, livelihoods, environmental protection and community relations.
Imphal, Oct. 30: A two-day national seminar at Manipur University is examining how traditional knowledge and indigenous intellectual traditions of Northeast India can contribute to contemporary challenges in education, livelihoods, environmental protection and community relations.
The seminar, titled “Connecting Traditional Knowledge, Thinking Intellectual Traditions, and Bridging Contemporary Relevance in Northeast India,” began at the university’s Court Hall on Friday. Academics, resource persons, research scholars and students have gathered for discussions on documenting indigenous knowledge, connecting it with modern technology and ensuring its relevance to present-day society.
The event, scheduled for October 30 and 31, is jointly organised by the Department of History, Manipur University; The Thokchom Ibotombi Institute of Teacher Education and Training, Bishnupur; Mount Everest College (Autonomous), Senapati; Kamakhya Pemton College, Hiyangthang; and Biramangol College, Sawombung.
The Department of Art and Culture, Government of Manipur, and Bank of Baroda’s Manipur University Branch are collaborating partners, while the State Bank of India’s Manipur University Campus Branch is sponsoring the seminar.
Prof. R.K. Hemakumar Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University, attended the inaugural programme as chief guest. Prof. Memcha Loitongbam, Dean of the School of Social Sciences, presided over the function.
Inaugurating the seminar, Prof. Hemakumar Singh commended the organisers for continuing their efforts to hold the programme after two earlier attempts. He welcomed the collaboration among the participating institutions and stressed the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to linking traditional knowledge with modern technology, particularly in the context of the National Education Policy 2020.
He urged research scholars and students to use the seminar to interact with experts, seek academic guidance and exchange research materials. The Vice-Chancellor also assured the organisers of the university’s support and called for the publication of the seminar proceedings to preserve the discussions and findings for future reference.
In her presidential address, Prof. Memcha Loitongbam called for a practical assessment of how inherited knowledge could help address current challenges, including livelihood security, environmental protection, education and relationships between communities.
She pointed to handloom, handicrafts, indigenous foods and other traditional skills as areas with economic potential if supported by improved design, branding, digital tools and access to finance. Such connections, she indicated, could help traditional practices contribute more directly to livelihoods.
Prof. Memcha also referred to community-based practices in managing forests, water and land. She urged scholars to document knowledge that remains useful while examining traditions critically rather than accepting them without assessment.
She emphasised the role of shared histories in rebuilding trust among communities. Historians, she said, have a responsibility to present the past accurately and fairly instead of allowing history to become a weapon.
She further encouraged participants to consider how the seminar’s findings could be taken beyond academic discussions and applied in classrooms, communities and policymaking. She stressed that communities preserving traditional knowledge should receive due recognition and benefit from its use.
Introducing the seminar, convenor Prof. H. Sudhirkumar Singh said Indian Knowledge Systems could not be understood comprehensively without incorporating the indigenous knowledge held by Northeast India’s diverse communities.
He said the documentation and recognition of traditional knowledge needed to be accompanied by efforts to connect it with contemporary needs, innovation and resilience. He invited participants to use the seminar as a platform for creative and critical academic discussion across disciplines.
Delivering the welcome address, Prof. Chungmeijai Mathew MK, Chairperson of the Department of History, welcomed the dignitaries and participants. He expressed hope that the technical sessions would encourage productive exchanges and strengthen academic cooperation among the participating institutions.
Niomchung Jatak Chiru, Coordinator of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of Mount Everest College (Autonomous), Senapati, described the collaboration with Manipur University as a homecoming for many of the college’s teachers.
The speaker stressed the need to document traditional knowledge before it disappears, develop academic frameworks for studying it and translate research into practical inputs for education, environmental protection and governance.
Dr. Bedavati Laishram, a member of the organising committee, proposed the vote of thanks.
The seminar will conclude its scheduled programme on October 31 with academic sessions examining different aspects of traditional knowledge and intellectual traditions in Northeast India.
