ITANAGAR, Dec 22: Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Monday held an interaction with an international delegation of scholars and Tai Khamti elders at Chongkham in Namsai district, focusing on the preservation of the community’s language, cultural heritage and ancient manuscripts.
The meeting underscored the need for documentation, research and digitisation to safeguard indigenous knowledge systems in the state.
International scholars included Dr Yashwant Pathak, Professor at the University of South Florida, Devesh Pandit, ICCS USA board member and executive director of the Research Institute of World’s Ancient Traditions, Cultures and Heritage (RIWATCH) Vijay Swami, along with Tai Khamti elders and executive members of Pali Vidyapeeth at Chongkham.
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“The discussions focused on cultural heritage, language and ancient manuscripts of the Tai Khamti community, highlighting their rich literary and oral traditions and the central role of language in preserving identity and indigenous knowledge,” Mein said in a post on X after the interaction.
Mein said the exchange of views ‘underscored the importance of documentation, research and digitisation to safeguard these invaluable cultural assets’, and added that such efforts would also help strengthen civilisational linkages with neighbouring regions for future generations.
“It was a pleasure to welcome scholars and researchers on indigenous cultures and traditions from USA, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Bhutan and Sri Lanka to the Centre for Tai Khamti Language and Folk Culture at Chongkham,” the deputy chief minister said.
He termed the engagement a significant step in promoting global academic collaboration around Arunachal Pradesh’s indigenous heritage.
The visiting delegation was led by RIWATCH executive director Vijay Swami.
Mein observed that the presence of international researchers reflects the growing global engagement with Arunachal Pradesh’s indigenous knowledge systems and cultural heritage, and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to preserving and promoting the diverse cultural traditions of its indigenous communities. (PTI)
