The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Guwahati Off- Campus successfully organized a two-day National Seminar on “Rethinking Culture: Retrospect and Prospect in the North East India Context” on April 8 and 9. Sponsored by ICSSR, NERC, Shillong, the seminar brought together scholars, students, and practitioners from diverse backgrounds to engage in critical discussions on the complex cultural dynamics of Northeast India. The seminar opened with the institute song and the felicitation of esteemed guests, followed by an introduction to the theme by Dr. Subeno Kithan, Convener and Faculty at the Centre for Sociology and Social Anthropology (CSSA). Prof. Jagannath Ambagudia, Campus Director of TISS Guwahati, delivered the welcome address.
The special guest, Prof. N. Sudhakar Rao, former Professor of Anthropology at the University of Hyderabad, addressed the gathering where he emphasised the ethical considerations in understanding and writing about culture, followed by the keynote speech by renowned sociologist Prof. Virginius Xaxa, who is currently a visiting professor at the Institute for Human Development (IHD), New Delhi. In his address, Prof. Xaxa highlighted the need to view culture not as a fixed concept, but as a dynamic, evolving entity. He also examined how communities in Northeast India actively shape and present their identities today. Dr. Abhinandan Saikia, Associate Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, TISS Guwahati concluded the inaugural session with a vote of thanks.
The seminar featured several academic sessions in two days covering a wide range of topics, including ethnography, literature, material culture, social dynamics, legal frameworks, and more. These sessions explored themes such as food, health, gender, cultural assimilation, and the impact of digital media on cultural landscapes. The second day included a roundtable discussion featuring prominent scholars such as Prof. Akhil Ranjan Dutta, Prof. N. Sudhakar Rao, Prof. Kedilezo Kikhi, and Dr. Ngamjahao Kipgen. The discussion examined Northeast Indian cultures through diverse lenses, including history, traditions, politics, intersubjectivities, and environmental interaction.