VKIC Sanmaan 2023 awarded

Dipankar Mahanta

Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture (VKIC) Uzanbazar celebrated its 26^thfoundation day at Dr. B C Lahkar Auditorium, Gauhati Commerce College on 31^st January, 2023.

Welcoming the august gathering, Dr Joram Begi, Chairman, VKIC, mentioned about the role of VKIC, through community research, in finding the commonalities amongst the different communities of the North East region.

In connection with the activities of the Civil 20 Engagement Group during India’s G20 Presidency, Vivekanand Kendra is an Institutional Partner and VKIC has been entrusted as one of the CSO in C20, with the topic ‘Diversity, Inclusion, Mutual respect’.

The VKIC Sanmaan 2023 was conferred on Sri Lakhsmi Bhusan Chakma and Sri Kakchingtabam Brajamani Sharma who hails from Mizoram and Manipur respectively by Smt. Nandita Gorlosa, Minister for Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture Department, Power, Mines and Minerals and Cooperation who attended the program as the Chief Guest.

Based on the motto of ‘Culture Nurtures Unity’ the VKIC Sanmaan is annually conferred to those who have devoted their life and worked tirelessly for safeguarding, preserving and promoting our rich cultural heritage.

On the occasion a VKIC publication research titled ‘Traditional Systems of the Mising Community: Change and Continuity’ was released by Prof. Bhagat Oinam, Director, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Advance Study, JNU, New Delhi.

VKIC Sanmaan 2023 awarded — ( From Left,Sri Lakhsmi Bhusan Chakma, , Dr Joram Begi, Smt. Nandita Gorlosa, Prof. Bhagat Oinam, Sri Kakchingtabam Brajamani Sharma)

Prof. Bhagat Oinam, while delivering the Foundation Day Lecture on “A phenomenological Reading of Indigenous Faith with special reference to the Northeast India” said that our life, behaviour, thinking are being influenced by the western world ignoring the tradition and culture of our land.

Refering to Swami Vivekananda who said that we need to learn from the west about developing the scientific temper but not forget the ability or capacity of our intuitive knowledge, based on experience and a stronghold of our country.

Hence, he said that today’s educated lot should learn to go to go beyond intellect and reason for experiential learning.

He said that we unfortunately imbibe what has been said by the west and made to believe that our practices are baseless and primitive.

He said that it is time now to do away with this attitude and learn from our indigenous way of life.

Chief Guest Smt Nandita Gorlosa Hon’ble Minister speaking on the occasion talked about the richness of the biodiversity of the region which was best understood by the indigenous and tribal communities of this region and that there is lot to learn from them to address the emerging challenges in the ecology.

Appreciating the works VKIC is doing she invited the institute to come and guide the people in Dima Hasao.

The program hosted by Ms Barnali Chakraborty ended with a vote of thank by Prof. Parimal Ch. Bhattacharjee, Director, VKIC.

(Dipankar Mahanta, Joint Secretary, VKIC)

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