Berhampur University and niversity of Tubingen to save palm-leaf manuscripts

The Berhampur University has sought assistance from the University of Tubingen, Germany, for digitalization of palm-leaf manuscripts. The university made the demand during the recent visit of Prof Roland Hardenberg, department of social and cultural anthropology of the German university to Bhanja Vihar.

The Berhampur University has sought assistance from the University of Tubingen, Germany, for digitalization of palm-leaf manuscripts. The university made the demand during the recent visit of Prof Roland Hardenberg, department of social and cultural anthropology of the German university to Bhanja Vihar.

Around 2,500 manuscripts in Sanskrit and Odia are stored in the newly-established South Odisha Cultural Study Centre (SOCSC) inaugurated by higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahi on March 21. Most date back to over 150 years and have been collected from different places of south Odisha by scholars of the Odia department.

While Odia manuscripts belong to poets, including Upendra Bhanja, most Sanskrit ones are on tantra and ayurveda. Their conservation need urgent attention as these are in a pitiable condition, particularly after Phailin.


Around 2,500 manuscripts in Sanskrit and Odia are stored in the newly-established South Odisha Cultural Study Centre (SOCSC) inaugurated by higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahi on March 21. Most date back to over 150 years and have been collected from different places of south Odisha by scholars of the Odia department.

While Odia manuscripts belong to poets, including Upendra Bhanja, most Sanskrit ones are on tantra and ayurveda. Their conservation need urgent attention as these are in a pitiable condition, particularly after Phailin.

Professor Deepak Kumar Berhara at Contemporary India Study Centre Aarhus

Professor Deepak Kumar Behera, Vice -Chancellor Berhampur University

 Professor Deepak Kumar Behera,  Vice-Chancellor Berhampur University, Berhampur Odisha ,India CISCA board member, is professor and the Head of the Department of Anthropology, Sambalpur University, India. He obtained his Master’s degree (Gold Medalist) and Ph.D. from Sambalpur University, India.  Professor Behera was a Fulbright Visiting Professor at California State University at Long Beach during the Fall semester 2007. He was also a Visiting Professor in the Dept. of Anthropology, University of Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa (2001, 2003), Dept. of Anthropology, University of Durban-Westville, Durban, South Africa (2001), Institute of Psychology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2004) and Maison des Sciences de L’Homme, Paris, CNRS-EHESS, Toulouse (2006).
He has more than 80 research publications in reputed journals and edited volumes.  Most of his publications are in the fields of children and childhood and tribal studies. Professor Behera has published seven volumes of Contemporary Society: Tribal Studies (Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi) jointly with Professor Georg Pfeffer of Institute of Ethnology, Free University of Berlin, Germany. He has successfully completed more than a dozen research projects funded by UGC, ICSSR, Ministry of Welfare, National Literacy Mission Authorities, Winrock International, Shastri Foundation, WHO, etc.
Besides being a member of several boards, he is also the Director-in-Charge of the new UGC Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy and Coordinator, MSW programme under the Sambalpur University. Professor Behera is a member of the International Advisory Board of the Journal - Sociological Analysis (North Carolina, USA), Boyhood Studies (New York, USA), Acta Academia (South Africa), and Practicing Anthropology (USA). Thirteen scholars have already received Ph.D. degree working under the supervision of Professor Behera.
Dr. Behera visited Aarhus in April 2011 as CISCA's third guest faculty. He was also in Aarhus in 2010, when he attended the workshop on Social In- and Exclusion in Contemporary India and beyond.

Berhampur University India inked MoU with German varsities

It will facilitate exchange of teachers and students between the two universities

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Berhampur University and University of Tubingen of Germany on Saturday.

This MoU would facilitate exchange of teachers and students between these two universities and also joint research projects between these two universities in the field of social sciences. According to director of college development council of Berhampur University, Bishnu Charan Choudhury, this is the first time that Berhampur University is coming up with such an MoU with any foreign university.

Dignitaries present

The signing of the MoU took place at the Biju Patnaik auditorium on Berhampur University campus. Vice Chancellor of Berhampur University Deepak Kumar Behera and head of department of social and cultural anthropology department of University of Tubingen, Roland Hardenberg, signed the MoU of behalf of the respective universities. Teachers, students and staff of Berhampur University and dignitaries of Berhampur were present on the occasion.

Signing of MoU was followed by the Sadasiba Tripathy Memorial Lecture. The speakers were Prof Hardenberg and his wife Andrea Luithle-Hardenberg. Prof Andrea is also from department of social and cultural anthropology of University of Tubingen. They spoke on their socio-cultural anthropologic studies in India.

Jagannath cult

Prof Hardenberg gave an elaborate analysis of Sri Jagannath cult of Puri and the rituals related to ‘nabakalebar’ of the deities at one of the four revered ‘dhams’ of Hindus. It may be noted that ‘nabakalebar’ rituals which are usually held in 12 years are to be held in Sri Jagannath temple next year. During ‘nabakalebar’ the old deities are replaced by new ones which match the reincarnation theory believed by the Hindus. Prof Hardenberg said although he could not enter the Sri Jagannath temple as non-Hindus are barred from entering it he made all efforts to get information needed for his research from most authentic sources. He said that ‘nabakalebar’ of the Sri Jagannath cult was a unique tradition.

Prof Andrea spoke on her research related to the Jain ‘Bal Munis’ of western India.

MoU with University of Tubingen will facilitate exchange of teachers and joint research in social sciences

Berhampur University India ties up with University of Groningen, Netharlands

Peter Berger, Professor of Indian Religion and Anthropology of Religion, University of Groningen, plans to visit Berhampur University for research collaboration

 

Berhampur University has tied up with the University of Groningen, Netherlands, for cooperation and exchange of fellows in research areas of mutual academic interest.

The University of Groningen has a department on comparative study of religion, focusing on Indian beliefs and their faculties have shown interest in collaborative research studies with Berhampur University. Peter Berger, Professor of Indian Religion and Anthropology of Religion, University of Groningen, plans to visit Berhampur University for research collaboration from December 2015 to February 2016.
Deepak Kumar Behera, Vice Chancellor, Berhampur University stated to the media, "We have signed MoUs with different institutes in the country and abroad for collaborative research, exchange of faculty members, conducting seminars and workshops and above all, to expand academic interest areas.”

Pratap Kumar Mohanty, Director, International Collaboration stated that the University of Groningen is the fifth foreign university to sign an MoU with BU. The other foreign universities are Aarhus University, Denmark, University of Tubingen, Germany, University of Abomey, Benin and Walsh College, Michigan, USA. The University is also working with the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), Hyderabad, and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. It has introduced three add-on courses in collaboration with NIRD, and launched the Spoken Tutorial Project with IIT Bombay.

Professor Deepak Kumar Behera at Worlds Education leaders forum