New Delhi: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs will observe Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada across the country from November 1 to 15, with national events, welfare camps and the launch of digital platforms to mark the birth anniversary of tribal leader Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
The fortnight will culminate in Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas on November 15. Alongside celebrating tribal heritage and the contribution of tribal heroes to India’s freedom struggle, the initiative aims to improve awareness of government schemes and extend their benefits to tribal families.
More than 300 projects for tribal communities have been planned across states, including 228 ready for inauguration and 74 for foundation stone laying. These include a new Tribal Research Institute building in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Ropuiliani Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum at Kelsih, Mizoram.
Two national digital initiatives are also scheduled for launch. The Jan-HIT portal, developed with the Indian Council of Medical Research, will provide health data disaggregated by tribe across 20 states. The National FRA Digital Platform will bring the forest rights claim process—from submission by Gram Sabhas to digitally signed titles—onto a single system.
Among the national events, around 200 Eklavya Model Residential School students are scheduled to interact with President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 12. A National Tribal Literary Festival will be held in New Delhi on November 12 and 13, bringing together tribal writers from across the country.
The Rani Durgavati Adivasi Mahila Sammelan on November 14 will bring together 500 tribal women entrepreneurs from 30 states and Union Territories to strengthen market linkages and women-led enterprises. A workshop at IIT Delhi will focus on strengthening Adi Vaani as a repository of tribal languages and living heritage.
A capacity-building conclave for around 1,500 traditional tribal healers from nine states and Union Territories will be held in Hyderabad on November 1 and 2. It is part of a programme to train and certify one lakh healers.
Health, nutrition and scheme camps for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are being held at PM-JANMAN multi-purpose centres from October 15 to November 15. Scholarship access camps in 73 districts are assisting students with applications and Aadhaar seeding.
The ministry said about 1.54 lakh Adi Karmayogi volunteers across 76,963 villages were being trained through state administrative training institutes to support community participation. A programme to conserve 200–300 medicinal plant species will also be launched with CSIR’s National Botanical Research Institute at Koraput in Odisha.
State and Union Territory Tribal Research Institutes have planned more than 160 activities across 19 states and Union Territories, with an expected attendance of over one lakh people. Events will include cultural festivals, exhibitions, school competitions, welfare camps and livelihood activities.
Highlights include a statewide tribal carnival in Andhra Pradesh, the Adivasi Kala and Khel Samagam in Goa, a Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda Pavilion in Odisha, a tribal music festival in Shillong and an art and craft fair at Amdavad Haat in Gujarat.
The Centre designated November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas in 2021. The 150th birth anniversary of Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda was observed as Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh in 2024–25, with more than 28 national events and over two lakh activities drawing more than 3.8 crore participants, according to the ministry.
[DD News]