KISS-DU Organizes Two-Day Janjatiya Gaurav National Conference on the Legacy of Bhagwan Birsa Munda and Indigenous Healthcare Practices: Safeguarding Traditional Knowledge for Sustainable Medical Futures and Traditional Healers Exhibition
KISS Deemed to be University organized a Two-Day Janjatiya Gaurav National Conference on the Legacy of Bhagwan Birsa Munda and Indigenous Healthcare Practices: Safeguarding Traditional Knowledge for Sustainable Medical Futures and Traditional Healers Exhibition on 28th and 29th August 2025 to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. This conference is in collaboration with Indian Council Social Science Research (ICSSR) and being jointly organized by the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Research Chair, Centre for Indigenous Peoples Across the Globe and the Internal Quality Assurance Cell, KISS Deemed to be University. Over 40 registrations from Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Mizoram and Odisha, and more than 100 attendees including faculty members, administrative officers, research scholars, and traditional healers from various districts of Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh.
As a gesture of deep reverence, the statue of Bhagwan Birsa Munda was ceremonially garlanded, invoking his legacy as a symbol of tribal pride, resistance, and cultural resurgence. The event also witnessed garlanding ceremony of the statue of Bhagwan Birsa Munda which has been instituted on KISS-DU premises. This ceremony held a special significance as it was graced by the revered family members of Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
Speaking at the Inaugural Session, Dr. Arpana Premi Lina Oraon, Research Chair, Bhagwan Birsa Munda briefly introduced the theme of the conference and spoke about the uniqueness of Traditional Healers Exhibition. In her deliberation highlighted the enduring legacy of tribal resilience and cultural pride. The esteemed family members of Bhagwan Birsa Munda Shri. Sukhram Munda (grandson), Shri. Jangal Singh Munda (great grandson) and Shri. Joseph Munda (family member) were felicitated by the guests on the stage.
Professor A.B Ota, Professor Emeritus, KISS-DU in his address talked about the iconic legacy of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the significance of Janjatiya Diwas, and the urgent need to protect indigenous healthcare knowledge from exploitation. He emphasized the role of Intellectual Property Rights and proposed that KISS-DU could lead the formulation of a tribal health policy in collaboration with other states. Speaking in turn, Professor Kashi Nath Jena, Pro Vice Chancellor of KISS-DU, highlighted the university’s pioneering role in tribal empowerment, the transformative impact of inclusive education, and the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge systems into mainstream academic discourse.
While addressing the attendees, Professor Debashis Bandyopadhyay, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of KISS-DU,underscored the university’s unwavering commitment to tribal empowerment, the preservation of indigenous knowledge systems, and the transformative power of education in fostering inclusive development. He emphasized KISS-DU’s role as a global model for socially responsive academia and called for collaborative efforts to advance sustainable and equitable futures. Professor Saranjit Singh Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, KIIT-DU shared his insightful thoughts, wherein he emphasized the symbiotic relationship between KIIT and KISS in advancing inclusive education, fostering innovation, and championing tribal empowerment. He lauded the collaborative spirit that drives both institutions and reaffirmed KIIT-DU’s commitment to supporting transformative initiatives that uplift marginalized communities.
Professor Amareswar Galla , Hon’ble Pro Chancellor of KISS-DU, shared his thoughts with the esteemed assembly. He opined that indigenous voices must be actively included in leadership, climate negotiations, and policy-making forums. Their lived knowledge, he emphasized, holds transformative potential for addressing global challenges and must be safeguarded through inclusive, decolonized frameworks that honor cultural heritage and community wisdom. Dr. Suwalal Jangu, Assistant Professor, Mizoram University reflected on the critical role of tribal culture in sustaining environmental balance and emphasized the need to preserve indigenous traditions amidst the pressures of globalization. He advocated for inclusive policy frameworks that recognize tribal knowledge systems as vital to sustainable development and called for academic institutions to amplify marginalized voices in national discourse.
Dr. Prashanta Kumar Routray Registrar KISS-DU in his address reaffirmed the university’s unwavering commitment to tribal empowerment through inclusive education, research excellence, and strategic partnerships. He highlighted KISS-DU’s administrative innovations that enable large-scale impact, and emphasized the importance of preserving indigenous knowledge systems while fostering global collaborations for sustainable development. He concluded his deliberation by proposing the Vote of Thanks at the Inaugural Session to each and every one who contributed to the success of this event. In an innovative feat, KISS-DU also organized Traditional Healers Exhibition which was inaugurated by the dignitaries following the Inaugural Session. The second half of the conference presented a plethora of cultural activities wherein the students of KISS-DU performed a skit on the life of Bhagwan Birsa Munda and performed Chakma Dance which is a traditional dance of the Chakma Community in Mizoram.
The two-day national conference served as a platform for intellectual discourse through three Technical Sessions around the theme of Bhagwan Birsa Munda: Champion of Tribal Welfare and Cultural Preservation; Indigenous Healthcare Systems: Cultural and Scientific Perspectives and Integrating Traditional and Modern Healthcare Systems and Traditions of Healing and Indigenous Knowledge System.
The two-day National Conference concluded with a Valedictory Session on 29th August 2025. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Asha Premlata Omega Oraon, Assistant Professor AIIMS, Deogarh expressed sincere gratitude for being invited as a chairperson and guest speaker for the two-day “Janajatiya Gaurav” National Conference, which honored Bhagwan Birsa Munda’s 150th birth anniversary. She also thanked the K.I.S.S. team, ICSSR, and tribal healers for making the event successful and fostering meaningful connections. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Sukhram Munda (grandson) and Shri Jangal Singh Munda (great grandson) of Bhagwan Birsa Munda shared his reflections with the audience. Sukhram Munda ji shared brief thoughts, noting the development in the area and the importance of education for tribal children, emphasizing Birsa Munda’s sacrifice for the Adivasi community.
Shri Hari Pangi: The Green Guardian of Deomali is a traditional healer and environmental innovator from Koraput shared his experiences and feedback on the occasion. He underscored the importance of preserving and advancing indigenous medical knowledge, which he believes is crucial for the nation’s and society’s well-being. He detailed his efforts to collect 500 medicinal herbs and establish an International Traditional Medicine Seed Bank to safeguard this invaluable knowledge for future generations. Moving ahead, some of the participants shared their experiences and feedback. They expressed their Laxman Dora, a research scholar from the Central University of Tamil Nadu, shared his feedback, expressing his privilege to attend the conference. He noted learning many things about Bhagwan Birsa Munda, herbal medicines, and the journey of KISS Deemed to be University.
Professor Debashis Bandyopadhyay, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, KISS-DU emphasized that the conference was the start of a journey to validate ancient Indian traditional knowledge, often marginalized by Western perspectives, using modern scientific methods. He advocated for demonstrating the efficacy of traditional medicine through scientific validation and honored Bhagwan Birsa Munda’s legacy in indigenous empowerment and land reforms. Talking from indigenous perspective, Dr. Paramanand Patel, a reputed Tribal Expert shared his 40 years of experience living with 64 tribal communities and highlighted Bhagwan Birsa Munda’s concept of “Jal, Jungle, Jameen”. He emphasized the urgent need to explore and document the rich, unexplored tribal philosophy and traditional medicinal knowledge, which he believes holds critical importance.
The key highlight of this two-day conference was that the discourses, suggestions and ideas shared by the resource persons including traditional healers which were discussed will be incorporated in the academic and daily activities of KISS-DU.
Dr. Anirban Bandyopadhyay, Dean, School of Tribal Culture, Philosophy and Eco-Spiritualism, KISS-DU presented a brief report of the conference. The gist included integrating traditional and modern medical systems, addressing structural inequalities, and documenting indigenous knowledge for a sustainable medical future.
Dr. Monalisha Mishra, Assistant Professor and Head of Geography Department proposed the Word of Thanks to the esteemed dignitaries, guests, participants and the organizing team.
