Category Archives: Education and literacy

“A most important truth, which we are apt to forget, is that a teacher can never truly teach unless he is still learning himself. A lamp can never light another lamp unless it continues to burn its own flame.” – Rabindranath Tagore quoted in Santiniketan (1961, p. 28)
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=2603

“The goal is to prepare some model students in our villages, so that others will be inspired to follow them.” – Santal educationist Dr. Boro Baski in “Long-term success of non-formal Adivasi school in West Bengal”
Learn more: https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=2274

“A sustainable improvement in the quality would happen only when there is an effort to improve quality along with inclusion. This cannot be achieved by creating a few centers of excellence.” – Prof. V. Santhakumar (Azim Premji University) in: “Only small, consistent steps can improve the quality of education in India” (Economics in Action, 11 October 2019)
Learn more: https://vsanthakumar.wordpress.com/2019/11/01/only-small-consistent-steps-can-improve-the-quality-of-education-in-india/

“In contemporary practice, the tribal memory is greatly undermined. There is general insistence that tribal children attend schools where non-tribal children attend schools, that they use medicines manufactured for others and that they adopt common agricultural practices. All because the world has very little time to listen patiently to the tribals, with their immense knowledge and creativity. We have decided that what is good for us is good enough for them. In the process we are destroying a rich vein of our cultural heritage.” – Prof. Ganesh Devy quoted by Ivy Hansdak (Inaugural Speech for the National Conference “Tribes In Transition-II” 2017)
Learn more: https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=23032

“The educational establishment has entrenched interests within it for whom the improvement of Adivasi education is not a priority and who may even look down upon them as second-class citizens.” – Amman Madan, Rama Sastry and B Ramdas in “Social Movements and Educational Change: A Case Study of the Adivasi Munnetra Sangam” (The Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 54, Issue No. 5, 02 Feb, 2019, Social Movements and Educational Change)
https://www.epw.in/journal/2019/5/special-articles/social-movements-and-educational-change.html
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=27219

Factors for a better life: An analysis of rural poverty and improvements for tribal communities – Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Maharashtra & Mizoram

Posted on 25/05/2020 by website administrator

Averting a humanitarian disaster in India calls for an explosion of NREGA work in the next few weeks | To read the full article here >> The abominable plight of migrant workers in recent weeks has invaded television screens and … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Bastar, Central region, Commentary, Community facilities, Economy and development, Education and literacy, Ethnobotany, Figures, census and other statistics, Forest Rights Act (FRA), Gadchiroli, Health and nutrition, Homes and utensils, Maps, Misconceptions, Modernity, Networking, Organizations, Particularly vulnerable tribal group, Quotes, Resources, Rural poverty, Seven Sister States, Southern region, Success story, Video resources - external, Western region | Comments Off on Factors for a better life: An analysis of rural poverty and improvements for tribal communities – Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Maharashtra & Mizoram

Adivasis (Scheduled Tribes) are the largest tribal population in the world – World Directory of Minorities

Posted on 21/05/2020 by website administrator

Profile | To read the full article, click here >> Adivasis is the collective name used for the many indigenous peoples of India. The term Adivasi derives from the Hindi word ‘adi’ which means of earliest times or from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Adivasi, Anthropology, Assimilation, Constitution and Supreme Court, Education and literacy, Figures, census and other statistics, Forest Rights Act (FRA), Government of India, Languages and linguistic heritage, Misconceptions, Names and communities, Quotes, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Seven Sister States, Worship and rituals | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Adivasis (Scheduled Tribes) are the largest tribal population in the world – World Directory of Minorities

Cultural invisibility – India’s 196 endangered languages (Unesco Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger 2009)

Posted on 20/05/2020 by website administrator

The state of indigenous languages today mirrors the situation of indigenous peoples. In many parts of the world, they are on the verge of extinction. […] However, with the growing global recognition of indigenous knowledge systems, the hope that indigenous … Continue reading →

Posted in Assimilation, Childhood and children, Community facilities, Constitution and Supreme Court, Democracy, Education and literacy, Endangered language, Figures, census and other statistics, Government of India, Languages and linguistic heritage, Maps, Misconceptions, Multi-lingual education, Names and communities, Organizations, Press snippets, Revival of traditions, Seven Sister States, Tribal identity | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Cultural invisibility – India’s 196 endangered languages (Unesco Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger 2009)

“Why India Needs Scheduled Tribes to Educate its Future Judges”: Adivasi rights and the the Indian constitution

Posted on 20/05/2020 by website administrator

The rights of adivasis in the Indian constitution are not an act of benevolence to “mainstream and uplift them” but a recognition that the “mainstream” of Indian society has many streams that flow into it, each of them equally valid. … Continue reading →

Posted in Assimilation, Commentary, Constitution and Supreme Court, Education and literacy, Government of India, Misconceptions, Multi-lingual education, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Worship and rituals | Comments Off on “Why India Needs Scheduled Tribes to Educate its Future Judges”: Adivasi rights and the the Indian constitution

Tip | “How to address misconceptions on tribal customs and culture in the classroom?” – Ideas and practices worth sharing among peers and students

Posted on 19/05/2020 by website administrator

There’s much to learn from the positive contributions made by tribal communities on a daily basis. To start with, let’s learn from insiders and others who have dedicated their lives to ensuring that a precious heritage will continue to make … Continue reading →

Posted in Adverse inclusion, Childhood and children, Colonial policies, Community facilities, Cultural heritage, Customs, Democracy, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Education and literacy, Endangered language, Ethnobotany, Gandhian social movement, Health and nutrition, History, Languages and linguistic heritage, Maps, Misconceptions, Modernity, Multi-lingual education, Names and communities, Networking, Organizations, Particularly vulnerable tribal group, Press snippets, Quotes, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Sacred grove, Storytelling, Success story, Tagore and rural culture, Tips, Tribal identity | Comments Off on Tip | “How to address misconceptions on tribal customs and culture in the classroom?” – Ideas and practices worth sharing among peers and students