Bhubaneswar Declaration charts new future for Tribal Research Institutes

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has adopted the Bhubaneswar Declaration, a landmark national framework designed to transform Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) into modern centres of excellence that preserve tribal heritage while supporting evidence-based policymaking. The declaration was adopted at the conclusion of the two-day National Workshop on Strengthening Tribal Research Institutes held in Bhubaneswar in collaboration with the Government of Odisha.

The workshop brought together nearly 200 participants, including representatives from Tribal Research Institutes, State Tribal Welfare Departments, universities, research organisations, technology institutions, industry, development partners and civil society. Over two days, delegates discussed practical strategies to strengthen tribal research, improve institutional capacity and increase the use of technology in tribal development programmes.

The declaration is aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 and seeks to position TRIs as trusted knowledge institutions capable of preserving indigenous traditions while providing governments with reliable research to guide policy decisions.

Declaration outlines reforms for stronger and modern research institutions

The workshop featured four thematic sessions covering cultural preservation, research quality, technology integration and institutional reforms. Participants discussed ways to document tribal languages, traditional knowledge and cultural practices through digital repositories and greater community participation. They also explored the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to improve research, planning, monitoring and public service delivery.

The Bhubaneswar Declaration proposes several major reforms, including the development of Tribal Research Institutes as centres of excellence, the introduction of a Model TRI Framework 2030, the preparation of a National TRI Research Agenda for 2027–2032, performance-based institutional ranking, stronger research standards and wider collaboration with universities, technology organisations, industry and civil society. It also calls for greater efforts to preserve tribal languages, indigenous knowledge, music, art, cuisine and other cultural traditions by actively involving tribal youth.

Another key recommendation is the creation of shared technology infrastructure, including artificial intelligence platforms, analytics tools and a central repository for tribal data, allowing states to improve research capabilities while avoiding duplication of resources.

Ministry honours top-performing Tribal Research Institutes

Speaking at the closing session, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Smt. Ranjana Chopra, said Tribal Research Institutes must evolve into globally recognised centres of excellence rooted in the realities of tribal communities. She emphasised the need for greater institutional autonomy, stronger partnerships with universities and research organisations, and closer links between research, policymaking and community needs. She described the Bhubaneswar Declaration as an important step towards advancing tribal development under the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.

The Ministry also presented Certificates of Appreciation to seven outstanding Tribal Research Institutes for their contributions to tribal research, documentation and cultural preservation. The recognised institutions were the Tribal Research and Training Institute, Chhattisgarh; Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute, Odisha; Tribal Research and Cultural Institute, Tripura; Tribal Research & Training Institute, Maharashtra; Kerala Institute for Research, Training & Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (KIRTADS); Tribal Cultural Research and Training Institute, Telangana; and Dr Ramdayal Munda Tribal Welfare Research Institute, Jharkhand.

Concluding the workshop, Joint Secretary Shri Anant Prakash Pandey said the recommendations adopted through the Bhubaneswar Declaration provide a clear roadmap for strengthening Tribal Research Institutes through better governance, improved research quality, wider use of technology and stronger collaboration among stakeholders. The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to working with states and partner institutions to turn these recommendations into meaningful outcomes for tribal communities across India.