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AK Singh with the members of NU's faculty, and participants during the opening ceremony of a weeklong cultural exchange programme at the university.[/caption]
Dimapur, April 28 (EMN): A cultural exchange programme under the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat,’ initiative of Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India is being held at Nagaland University Headquarter, Lumami from April 26 to May 1.
A team of 14 members from Dr. Harisingh Gour University Sagar, Madhya Pradesh led by Dr. Bijia Sundri arrived at Lumami on April 26. The team consisted of 11 students, two assistants, and a faculty in-charge.
The opening ceremony of the programme was held on April 27 at I Ihoshe Kinimi hall, NU, with vice-chancellor in-charge, Prof. AK Singh as the chief guest.
Short speeches from Prof. CR Deb, dean of students’ welfare, and Dr. Bijia Sundri. A welcome song from Nagaland University’s Students was followed by an Ao Naga folk dance.
The Chief Guest in his speech highlighted the importance of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.’ He emphasized on the importance of cultural and emotional integration of India. He said that India is one of the most diverse countries in terms of culture and biodiversity which needs to be preserved and encouraged.
Learning from each others’ culture, experiencing different food habits, and living together will not only bind each other but will also go a long way in understanding and promoting one another’s culture, he felt, he added.
The visiting team members interacted with the vice-chancellor in-charge, senior faculty, and other university officials in the office chamber of the vice-chancellor.
Sharing their experiences, the visiting students said that their perception about Nagaland had changed. The fears they had about Nagaland dissipated on getting a warm reception from the University fraternity. They expressed appreciation for the natural beauty of the state and for the way in which the local people have conscientiously preserved nature and their culture.
A wweklong cultural exchange programme will incorporate a host of activities such as workshops on indigenous agricultural practices of Nagaland and culture and traditional heritage of Nagaland. Cultural excursion to historical places at Mokokchung district is also in the list, it informed. There will be also training sessions on folk song, folk dance, cultural games, and traditional sports of the different tribes of Nagaland. The closing ceremony will be held on the 1st May 2018 at I Ihoshe Kinimi Hall, Nagaland University, Lumami.
Also, a press release received on Saturday informed about the workshop on “Indigenous agricultural practices of Nagaland,” conducted at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), NU, as a part of cultural exchange programme.
Dr. Rakesh Kumar Chaurasia, sr. scientist and KVK head, in his i address welcomed all the participants and Dr. Vijaya Sundari, Asstt. Prof. dept. of Anthropology from Dr. Hari Singh Gaur University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh.
Dr. Visakho Shunyu, SMS (agronomy, plant breeding and genetics) spoke on indigenous agricultural practices of nagaland with special reference on jhum cultivation followed.
Dr. Rakesh Kumar Chaurasia, sr. scientist spoke on indigenous breeds of livestock found in Nagaland. He gave brief information of Mithun (Bos frontalis), ‘Sumi- NE,’ a goat breed and ‘Tenyi-Vo,’ a pig breed registered as breed by NBAGR, Karnal from Nagaland.
Later, participants paid a visit to the demonstration farm of KVK and interacted with the farm manager, Naropongla who provided them an insight of hill farming in Nagaland.