By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:In a landmark initiative to digitally transform tribal education and preserve India’s rich traditional heritage, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs today launched TribeX, a first-of-its-kind digital learning platform dedicated to tribal arts, culture, traditional knowledge and skill development. The platform was launched by Hon’ble Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Shri Jual Oram during the National Workshop on Strengthening Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs), in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.
The launch ceremony was graced by Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Durgadas Uikey; Hon’ble Member NITI Aayog, Dr. R. Balasubramaniam; Hon’ble Minister for ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare, Government of Odisha, Shri Nityananda Gond; Smt. Ranjana Chopra, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs; Shri B. Parmeshwaran, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of Odisha; and Shri Anant Prakash Pandey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, along with senior officials of the Ministry, Directors of Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) from across the country, academicians, tribal knowledge experts, artisans and other distinguished participants.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Jual Oram said that TribeX reflects the Government’s commitment, under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to preserve, promote and globally showcase India’s rich tribal heritage while making authentic tribal knowledge accessible to learners everywhere. He said that digital technology has the potential to bridge geographical barriers, empower tribal communities, and ensure that centuries-old knowledge systems continue to thrive in the modern world. He also urged the Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) and Tribal Welfare Departments (TWDs) of all States and Union Territories to create widespread awareness about the platform among universities, higher educational institutions, faculty members, and students, encouraging them to actively enroll in and benefit from the courses offered through TribeX.
Conceived as a comprehensive digital learning ecosystem, TribeX offers structured learning opportunities through free certificate courses and UGC-recognized Post Graduate diploma programmes in tribal languages, art forms, crafts and traditional knowledge. The platform enables learners, researchers, educators and enthusiasts across the world to learn directly from tribal knowledge experts and master artisans while gaining authentic insights into India’s diverse tribal traditions. Beyond education, TribeX serves as a digital repository for documenting, preserving and promoting tribal languages, oral traditions, performing arts, cultural practices and indigenous knowledge systems for future generations.
The platform currently hosts 20 free certificate courses across a diverse range of tribal art forms, including paintings, handicrafts, handloom, artefacts and traditional musical instruments, with a roadmap to expand to over 100 certificate courses.
An MoU was signed between Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India and the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi for the PG Diploma Courses. TribeX offers five UGC-recognized one-year hybrid diploma programmes namely,
- Tribal Language: Santali (Ol Chiki)
- Sustainable Tribal Culture Based Livelihood Practices
- Museology and Tribal Museum Management
- Tribal Arts and Crafts of India
- Tribal Textiles
These programmes provide deeper knowledge of Tribal Traditions by combing expert lectures, internships and dissertation writing so as to provide job opportunities.
The platform further integrates a robust Learning Management System (LMS), and a Repository Management System providing a secure and seamless digital ecosystem for learning, knowledge management and progress tracking. The Heritage Archive hosts more than 5000 expanding to 10000 multimedia resources, including audio, video and literature documenting tribal festivals, socio-cultural practices and oral traditions from across India.
The launch of TribeX marks a significant milestone in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ ongoing efforts to harness digital innovation for tribal empowerment. As a one-stop digital platform for learning, documentation and preservation of tribal knowledge, TribeX is poised to become a global gateway to India’s vibrant tribal heritage, enabling future generations to learn from, celebrate and carry forward the invaluable wisdom of the country’s tribal communities.
