Odisha, Sept 28th,2022: Odisha on Monday became the first state in India to release an encyclopedia on the tribal communities of the state, their traditions, and their culture over the year.
Unveiled by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the five-volume ‘Encyclopedia of Tribes in Odisha’ contains 3,800 pages and research articles on 418
tribal groups, including 13 particularly vulnerable ones.
“These books will serve as a treasure and repository for all academicians, researchers, policymakers, and those interested to know about the tribal communities of the state,” Patnaik said.
The painstaking job of editing, compilation, and republication has been carried out by SCSTRTI Director Prof AB Otta and his Consultant SC Mohanty in the last four years.
“The age-old culture and way of living of these tribal communities are changing fast and their cultural identity is disintegrating. A systematic documentation was the need of the hour, and we have tried to do that in this encyclopedia”, said Prof AB Otta.
As per the 2011 Census, tribal people constitute 22.85% of Odisha’s total population.
Odisha has the most diverse tribal communities found in the country. The state has 62 tribes.
