Skip to content Skip to navigation

Seminar on Indigenous Knowledge by ABSU

Dr Hemen Bhattacharjee Director Extension Education of Assam Agriculture University speaking during seminar organised by ABSU
Dr Hemen Bhattacharjee Director Extension Education of Assam Agriculture University speaking during seminar organised by ABSU

All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) being one of the most responsive students union in the region, wishes to be part of the discourse and debate on the theme of promoting indigenous knowledge . ABSU being the voice of indigenous communities is focusing on issues related to indigenous knowledge and technologies that can become critical in promoting sustainable development.  As a part of economic awareness year, ABSU has organised a daylong seminar on “the role of indigenous knowledge-technology in sustainable economic development & policy of central, state and autonomous councils” at the conference hall of Sankardev Kalakhetra on 14th May. This seminar has been organised to deepen the understanding on indigenous knowledge-technologies and its various challenges for ensuring sustainable development and to find way forward for revitalization, promotion and documentation of critical indigenous knowledge-technologies as means for sustainable development through consultative process.

The keynote speech was delivered by Pramod Bodo, President of ABSU. In his keynote address, he mentioned about importance of sustainable development. “Indigenous knowledge and skills available in the society must also be tapped for economic and social up-liftmen. The focus must not confine to only on skills for machines, digital and industry based technology. Businesses and industries must also give priority to rural and indigenous products. Financial institutions should not run only after successful technology entrepreneurs but give equal preference, if not more, to rural and indigenous entrepreneurs and enterprises. Governments must create a level playing field through policy intervention to make rural and Indigenous enterprises successful”, said Pramod Bodo.

Inaugurating the seminar Debojit Khound , Economic Adviser of North Eastern Council said that conventional economic model has not been able to bring change and hence a bottom up approach is needed in the region .  He shared some activities of NEC and the way they have been effective in some part of the region related to economic development.

Adip Phukan , Senior Journalist  has mentioned that economic development is not taking place as policies are implemented from top . he was also mentioning about the areas which are linked with indigenous knowledge and said that new perspectives is needed for development .

Achinta Kr Baruah, faculty from Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship said that there is problem with attitude in comparison with other part of the country. He mentioned that we need to do analysis and move ahead for entrepreneurship growth. SWOT analysis is needed to know one better and move ahead to promote entrepreneurship.

Amiya Sarma, Director of Rashtriya Grameen Vikash Nidhi has said that paradigm shift is needed to bring development to the region. There must be good governance and rule of law for the change and there must be vibrant public institutions for brining economic development.

Mrinal Gohain, Regional Manager of Action Aid said that many places in the states have lost natural resources like forest cover.  He was raising question amongst participants and asked them to think why there has been lost o natural resources.

Jennifer Liang, Managing Trustee of Action Northeast Trust has shared their experiences of social business ‘Agor’.  She said that there should be short-term courses to manage local business and there must be more indigenous entrepreneur for brining economic development.

Other speakers included Dr Hemen Bhattacharjya , Director , Extension Education of Assam Agriculture University said that there must be market linked production.  He has also given a data related to agriculture production from 4 district of BTAD.

Dr P S Harikrishnaraj , Assistant General Manger of NABARD has shared the activities of the bank and their activities related to the state. He shared that exposure programme and capacity building are organised for entrepreneurs.

Dr B K Bhatttacharjya, Regional head of ICAR –ICFRI said that indigenous technical knowledge can be mixed with modern technologies for yielding more production.  He also said that Geographical Index is needed for documentation and resource mapping is important.

Barun Mandal , Junior Inspector of Coir Board has  mentioned about coir board and its functions. Other speakers and guests includes Pratibha Brahma,Social Worker from Kokrajhar ; Manoj Basumatary , Entrepreneur from Sonitpur ; Pushpadhar Das from Bagsa; Utpal Jyoti Sarma, Programme Coordinator , KBK , Bagsa; Hitesh Basumatary ,MLA from Chapaguri;  Govinda Basumatary and Dhiren Bodo, General Secretary and Chairman of NDFB (P); Rwn Gwra Narzary , Nirmal Brahma and Guneswar Gayari , MCLAs of BTAD; Bhaskar Deuri , President of All Deuri Students Union ; Ratan Kachari , President of All Sonowal Kachari Students Union.  The seminar was chaired by Raju Narzary, Executive Director of NERSWN. Eight successful indigenous entrepreneurs were felicitated by ABSU on the occasion. The seminar was attended by people from different parts of the state.  

Mrinal gohain Regional Manager of Action Aid speaking during the national seminar organised by ABSU
Jennifer Liang Managing Trustee of ANT speaking in the seminar organsied by ABSU
Pramod Bodo ABSU President felicitating one entreprenur during the national seminar

Add new comment

Random Stories

Teacher recruitment by mid-April: Himanta

12 Jan 2012 - 7:20pm | editor
Good news for teacher job aspirants. The Assam government is in a process to fill up the vacant post of teachers by mid-April. The candidates selected in TET would have to appear in district-level...

Four HNLC militants killed in Meghalaya

30 Oct 2007 - 2:07pm | luitneildon
Four Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) militants including a commander were gunned down and two policemen wounded critically in a fierce gun battle in the heart of Meghalaya capital...

Buddhas only point the way

18 May 2014 - 9:25am | Ma Prem Naina
Gautama Buddha was one of the most beautiful beings to have walked on this earth and on the soil of India. Something that is tremendously unique and rare about this enlightened master is that he was...

7 MULTA cadres apprehended in lower-Assam

17 Jan 2009 - 1:49am | editor
Police have arrested altogether 7 hardcore militants of Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (MULTA) and seized hand grenades, AK-47 ammunition recovered from them in Dhubri and Kokrajhar...

Other Contents by Author

A Leadership Training Programme for youths, organised by Foundation for Social Transformation- enabling North East India, was successfully held on 20th and 21st May, at Bosco Reach Out in Guwahati. The training was attended by 50 youths, who received training from distinguished mentors.  The training modules included the Youth, social action & change, gender, feminism & masculinity, communalism, religion & conflict, sexuality, sexual rights & violence, democracy, politics & governance, globalisation & natural resources management & disability rights. The leadership training programme was meant for young change makers of the region. The training programme...
Old Boys Association, Sainik school Goalpara (OBA SSG) and Manash Borah memorial trust is organising 4th Manash Borah memorial North East Inter Institutional Debating Competition at Guwahati on 31st May. The topic for the debate competition is in the opinion of the house “a Politician’s Eligibility Test (PET) should be compulsory for all candidates seeking a political career in India”.  Each institute shall be represented by one team consisting of two debaters (one for the motion and one against the motion). The medium of debate would be Assamese and English.  Last date of participation is 25th May. There is prize money for the winners apart from memorial trophy for the best team....
North East Youth Foundation has initiated a talk programme on ‘Entrepreneurship: A Force for Change’ for the benefit of young people of the region. This programme has been organised to provide a platform amongst young upcoming entrepreneurs with experienced entrepreneurs of the region. The initial talk was delivered by Bhaskar Datta Goswami, entrepreneur and president of National Youth Project (Assam Chapter) on 19th March at Flamez Café in the city. He was sharing his experiences of starting his own unit related to handlooms of the state. As a successful entrepreneur he was also appealing participants to know more about the state if they want to grow in the region. He was sharing how they...
In spite of many progresses in science and technology one could find black magic in some part of our society. Rebecca ChangkijaIn Assam, we have seen how woman are being killed in the name of witch hunting. There are similar things happening in some part of the country too. It is important that the issue must get focus so that remedies could be found and live of innocent people can be saved. This time a film titled "The Dark Secrets of Tonhi", which deals with murder of women on the pretext of being a 'Tonhi' (black magic woman), is set to release in India on 18 April.The country has witnessed several protests against crime on women and this issue might be in rise after the release of the...
The All Bodo Students Union , one of the largest ethnic students union of the north east has organised a sit and dharna at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on some of the demands for which the organisation is working for couple of years on 9th November, 2012. The demand includes permanent solution of Bodoland issues. It has demanded the protection of Tribal Land (Assam Land & Revenue Regulation Act, 1886). It has also demanded the implementation of Forest Act, 2006 in Assam. ABSU has urged the government for the upgradation of NRC, Detection & Deportation of Foreign Nationals and sealing of Indo-Bangla Border. This was stated in a release issued by Pramod Boro, Presdient of ABSU.
In connection to the 50% cut off mark for the secondary Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) examination to be held on February, 2013 tentatively, All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) is not against the TET examination but it has made some of the points and demands from the concerned department.First, the cut off mark of 50% for TET which is made compulsory for all should be reviewed as per earlier rules of the State Government considering the socio-economic issues and unemployment problem.Secondly, Government should consider all the B. Ed. qualified candidates eligible for TET as per the rules prevailed time to time.Thirdly, Government should reconsider the provision of 5% relaxation from the total...
In a bid to discuss the challenges and vistas of MBA and afterwards the students of Asian Institute of Management and Science organised a daylong seminar on “challenges and vistas after MBA in North East” at its campus on 16th October. The sessions were divided into present job scenario and challenges faced by youth in north east India. There was also focus on the importance of soft skill, communication skill and interview skill through which student can excel in any of the interview. Ranjan K Baruah, social entrepreneur cum youth activist spoke on the challenges of the youth and he had discussed the challenges faced by youth in the region. He appealed the students to become...
Centre for Civil Society (CCS) brought down the curtains on the 9th Annual Jeevika: Asia Livelihood Documentary Festival on Sunday 2 September 2012 at the India Habitat Centre. The festival honoured professional and student documentary filmmakers covering livelihood issues that raised consciousness on the trials and tribulations faced by many to attain a life with dignity.Over the course of three days, the festival saw the participation of hundreds of people including diplomats, professionals, aspiring filmmakers, students, professors, media spokespersons and many other weekend revelers. 68 films were submitted, out of which 18 documentaries were shortlisted showcasing various aspects of...
To commemorate Independence Day Old Boys Association of Sainik School Goalpara (OBA SSG) organised a blood donation camp at the premises of Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute on 15th August. The programme was inaugurated by Dr A C Kataki, Director of BBCI and the meeting was presided by Wing Commander (Rtd) Monoj Bora , working president of OBA SSG. Dr Rajjyoti Das of BBCI and also a member of OBA SSG stated the objectives of the programme in the inaugural function. In his speech Dr Kataki mentioned that civil society must take up steps and initiatives to make campuses and in and around areas free from tobacco to prevent diseases like cancer. He was praising OBA SSG as they have been...
Debasish Sarma of Sainik School Goalpara has been selected to receive the prestigious ‘Bir Chilarai Award’ for the year 2012-13. He will receive the award from the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam on 15 Aug 2012 in the Independence Day central function to be held at Veterinary College Ground, Khanapara, Guwahati. Noteworthy to mention that Cadet Debasish Sarma has joined the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Pune in Jul 2012.He is the third in the history of Sainik School Goalpara to receive this prestigious award who was the school captain in last academic session.He had participated in the Republic Day Camp (RDC) at New Delhi in 2011 under National Cadet...