DOIMUKH, NOV 3:
The two-day interdisciplinary national conference, DIGI-TRIBIDENTITY 2026, on the theme ‘Digital Frontiers and Indigenous Voices: Navigating Tribal Identity in the Age of Social Media’, concluded at Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), Doimukh, on Tuesday, bringing together researchers, academicians and media professionals to deliberate on digital media, indigenous identity and cultural preservation.
Organised by the Department of Mass Communication, RGU, in collaboration with the Department of Mass Communication, Saint Claret College (Autonomous), Ziro, with support from the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), North Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong, the conference was conducted in blended mode.
The event recorded over 100 registered participants, with around 75 attending physically on the first day and approximately 50 on the second day. A total of 38 research papers were presented, including 17 offline and 21 online presentations.
Seven technical sessions, four invited talks and a round-table discussion formed part of the academic programme, with participation from around 14 institutions.
The deliberations covered a wide range of themes, including indigenous identity, cultural preservation, traditional knowledge systems, indigenous language preservation, digital archiving, artificial intelligence, social media, environmental communication, regional cinema and digital representation.
The technical sessions were chaired by academicians and professionals from various institutions, including Prof. Ravindra Kumar Vermula, Prof. Irene Lalruatkimi, Prof. Mohammad Fariyad, Dr Manoj Deori, Prof. Uttam Kumar Pegu, B.B. Sharma, Prof. Abhijit Bora, Prof. Manash Pratim Goswami, Prof. Charvak, Prof. Sanjeev Banawat and Prof. Joya Chakraborty.
The sessions provided a platform for scholarly exchange on emerging digital technologies and their implications for indigenous communities and cultural representation.
A major highlight was the round-table discussion on ‘Towards an Ethical Digital Future for Tribal North-East India’, chaired by Prof. Ravindra Kumar Vermula.
The discussion brought together perspectives from academia, media and social media, with participation from Saint Claret College Principal Dr Fr Allwyn Mendoz; Tezpur University Department of Mass Communication Head Dr Manoj Deori; former All India Radio Imphal Director (News) B.B. Sharma; Pandit Chiranjilal Sharma Government College, Karnal, Haryana, Department of Mass Communication Head Dr Rashmi Singh; and social media influencer Geyin Miyu.
The discussion examined opportunities and challenges associated with digital representation, cultural identity and the ethical use of digital platforms, particularly in the context of indigenous communities.
Addressing the valedictory session, Prof. Ravindra Kumar Vermula appreciated the participation of scholars and the quality of research papers presented. Prof. Mohammad Fariyad described the conference theme as timely and significant, underscoring the need for sustained academic engagement with digital media and indigenous identity.
Prof. Uttam Kumar Pegu encouraged emerging researchers to participate in academic forums and use feedback and critical reviews constructively to strengthen their research.
