Administrator
09 July 2026
"Tribal Research Institutes are the voices of tribal communities. They must evolve into globally recognised centres of excellence built on high-quality research and rooted in community realities. TRIs need greater institutional and financial autonomy. They must work closely with State Departments, universities, multilateral organisations and other knowledge institutions. Most importantly, they must bridge the gap between research, policy and the people they serve.”
This was said by Ranjana Chopra, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs while summing up the deliberations
of the National Workshop in Bhubaneswar on June 8,2026.
The concluding session of the two-day National Workshop was held on ‘Strengthening Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs). It was organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in collaboration with the Government of Odisha.
Throughout the deliberations, participants emphasised the need to strengthen institutional capacities of Tribal Research Institutes through improved governance structures, skilled human resources, enhanced collaboration with academic and technology institutions, standardised research methodologies and stronger knowledge-sharing mechanisms across States.
Discussions also underscored the importance of creating a national ecosystem that enables TRIs to serve as repositories of tribal knowledge while providing timely evidence and policy inputs for tribal development programmes.
In recognition of exemplary institutional performance, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs also presented Certificates of Appreciation to seven best-performing Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) for their outstanding contributions to tribal research, documentation, knowledge generation and preservation of tribal cultural heritage.
The recognition acknowledged the commitment of these institutions towards advancing evidence-based tribal development and promoting excellence across the national TRI ecosystem. The awardees included:
The workshop concluded with the presentation of the consolidated recommendations and the adoption of the Bhubaneswar Declaration, a landmark national framework for strengthening Tribal Research Institutes as centres of excellence in research, knowledge generation and evidence-based policymaking.
In his concluding remarks, Shri Anant Prakash Pandey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, said, "Over the past two days, we have witnessed rich deliberations, meaningful exchange of ideas and a shared commitment to strengthening Tribal Research Institutes. The recommendations emerging from the workshop and the Bhubaneswar Declaration provide a clear roadmap for enhancing institutional capacities, promoting research excellence, embracing technology and fostering greater collaboration. The Ministry remains committed to working with State Governments, Tribal Research Institutes and all stakeholders to translate these recommendations into meaningful outcomes for tribal development."
