ROING, Aug 26: Director of the Department of Indigenous Affairs (DIA), GoAP, Likha Suraj, paid his maiden visit to the Research Institute of World’s Ancient Traditions, Culture and Heritage (RIWATCH) at Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district on Wednesday, and appreciated the institute’s efforts towards preserving and promoting the indigenous cultural heritage, knowledge systems and traditions of Arunachal Pradesh and the Northeast.
During his visit to the RIWATCH campus, the Director toured various centres of the institute, including the RIWATCH Centre for Mother Languages (RCML), RIWATCH Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage (RCICH), Arogya Panchkarma and Wellness Centre and the People’s Museum.
Interacting with the RIWATCH team, Suraj said he was impressed by the range of activities being undertaken by the institute. He appreciated its initiatives for the promotion and preservation of indigenous cultural heritage, traditional knowledge systems and practices, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh.
He said the visit was aimed at building greater confidence and strengthening cooperation between the Department of Indigenous Affairs and RIWATCH. He also appreciated the tangible benefits that local communities have derived from the institute’s initiatives.
Welcoming the proposal to upgrade RIWATCH into a university, to be known as UWATCH, the Director advised that the institution should be developed on a sustainable model so that it can effectively serve the community for generations to come.
Dr MS Awan, Centre Head of RCML, briefed the visiting Director on the centre’s journey and achievements. He informed that RCML has so far published 36 books, with five more currently in press, while 14 communities of Arunachal Pradesh have been documented and studied by the centre.
Executive Director of RIWATCH, Vijay Swami, gave an overview of the institute’s journey since its inception in 2009. He highlighted its work in research and documentation of indigenous cultures, the discovery of a new ginger species, Amomum riwatchii/Amomum nimkesii, in 2018, and its contribution to TB research in Arunachal Pradesh, among other initiatives.
Swami also shared RIWATCH’s vision of developing the institute as the “Nalanda of the Northeast”, serving as a major centre for research, preservation and dissemination of the region’s indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage.
The Director of DIA was accompanied by Toko Yapung and Akom Don Emma of the PlanetRead BILLION READERS Project.