Ministry of Tribal Affairs and IGNCA Sign MoU for Documentation and Digitisation of Tribal Cultural Heritage

Key facts

• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi on September 28, 2026, to strengthen the preservation, documentation, digitisation, research and promotion of India's tribal cultural heritage.
• The MoU was signed in the presence of Ranjana Chopra, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and Dr K. Anil Kumar, HoD, IGNCA, along with senior officials from both institutions.
• The partnership combines MoTA's tribal research ecosystem and network of Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) with IGNCA's academic, archival, research and curatorial expertise.
• The collaboration covers tangible and intangible heritage including tribal arts and crafts, music and traditional instruments, tribal languages, oral traditions and folklore, traditional cuisines, customary practices, and indigenous and traditional ecological knowledge, with a focus on documenting endangered traditions.
• Key areas of cooperation include developing digital archives and interactive museum galleries showcasing tribal arts, artefacts and cultural traditions, including dedicated galleries highlighting tribal communities' role in India's freedom struggle.
• The MoU also envisages organising youth camps in educational institutions to raise awareness about tribal cultural values, sustainable conservation practices, tribal languages and traditions, and the diversity of India's tribal cultures.
• The partnership will disseminate tribal heritage through museums, exhibitions, cultural festivals, publications and digital platforms, and create opportunities for tribal scholars, artists, artisans, performers and traditional knowledge holders at national and international platforms.