HT Correspondent
NAGAON, March 22: In a gesture to fuse traditional wisdom with contemporary scientific advancement, Nowgong College (Autonomous) organised a two-day long ICSSR-sponsored international conference on ‘Exploring Traditional Knowledge: Bridging Past and Future’, here at the college premises. The conference aims to establish a bridge between traditional knowledge systems and modern scientific practices. Dr Ranjit Kumar Mazinder, principal of the college, delivered the welcome address at the very beginning and spoke on the significance of traditional knowledge. The IQAC coordinator and organising secretary of the conference, Dr Bhuban Chandra Chutia, gave a brief introduction to the prestigious institution and spoke on the intention behind organising the conference. The vice chancellor of Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankardeva University, Professor Mridul Hazarika, ceremonially inaugurated the conference.
In his inaugural speech, Dr Hazarika mentioned the rich diversity of Indian knowledge systems and pointed out how modern science can be based on these knowledge systems to achieve further progress. Prof Achintya Nayan Bezbarua from North Dakota State University, America, delivered his speech as the guest of honour and focused on the need to document, record, and preserve our traditional knowledge so that future generations can inherit that rich legacy. Dr Bhujang Babode, the coordinator of the Research for Resonance Foundation, Nagpur, Maharashtra, graced the inaugural program and spoke on the necessity to turn from worshipping western knowledge toward restoring our indigenous knowledge systems.
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Following his speech, the abstracts of the conference were released on the online platform Zenedo. It is pertinent to mention that this is the first conference in Assam and in the entire North East to use this platform for publishing the conference abstracts. Dr Jagannath Biswakarma, an alumnus of Nowgong College (Autonomous) and currently a scientist at the University of Bristol, UK, initiated the entire process and mentioned the North East as a rich reservoir of traditional knowledge. Dr AK Thakur, professor of History at North East Hills University, spoke on the amazing reservoir of tribal or indigenous knowledge, particularly in the context of the hill states of the North East. He mentioned how some tribal communities in these areas use traditional herbs to cure diseases and wounds instead of using modern medicines. Dr Farishta Yasmin, the academic member secretary of the college, offered her vote of thanks in the inaugural program, as asserted in a press note here.
