The Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture (VKIC), Guwahati, is organising the Janajati Sammelan 2026 on 30 & 31 January 2026 at The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati. The Sammelan coincides with VKIC’s Foundation Day celebrations and is envisioned as a major cultural initiative dedicated to the Janajati (indigenous) communities of Northeast Bharat.
Theme: Development Through Culture
The central theme of the Sammelan, “Development Through Culture,” reflects VKIC’s long-held conviction that sustainable and meaningful development must arise from a community’s own cultural foundations. Culture, as understood by VKIC, is not limited to art forms or attire but includes values, thought systems, social relationships, and ways of life that bind individuals and communities together in harmony.
About Janajati Sammelan 2026
The Janajati Sammelan 2026 will bring together 40 Janajati communities from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura on a common platform. The Sammelan seeks to reaffirm that Janajati communities are integral to Bharat’s civilisational mainstream, embodying values of harmony with nature, inter-dependence, community living, and sustainability.
Conceived as a dialogue-oriented and participatory process, the Sammelan encourages communities to:
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Reflect on their cultural strengths
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Correct misrepresentations of their traditions
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Build confidence in the scientific basis, sanctity, and continuity of their way of life
It provides a shared space for elders, youth, women, scholars, and cultural practitioners, enabling the emergence of creative leadership from within the communities themselves.
Action-Oriented Cultural Platform
Beyond cultural celebration, the Janajati Sammelan also functions as an action-planning platform. Inputs gathered through discussions and local-level interactions will help shape future initiatives in:
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Education
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Health
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Culture
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Youth leadership
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Women’s empowerment
By fostering trust, harmony, and self-belief, the Sammelan aims to revitalise Janajati culture as a living and dynamic force—resilient in the present and confident about the future.
Programme Highlights
Key highlights of the Janajati Sammelan 2026 include:
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Participation of 40 Janajati communities from Northeast India
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Ritual and cultural presentations
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Interactive dialogue sessions
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Exhibition-cum-sale of handloom and handicraft products
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VKIC Foundation Day celebrations
About VKIC
Formally dedicated to the nation in 1993, the Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture is a research and documentation project of Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, covering the entire Northeast India. VKIC envisions itself as the Intellectual Fountainhead of Northeast Bharat, working through seminars, research, documentation, and community-based dialogue to inspire leadership and promote the idea of development rooted in culture.
Event Details
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Event: Janajati Sammelan 2026
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Dates: 30 & 31 January 2026
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Venue: The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati
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Occasion: VKIC Foundation Day
