Aizawl: Mizoram University and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham have collaborated to launch science, technology, and innovation (STI) hubs in the districts of Aizawl and Serchip in Mizoram.
The Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, has provided funding for these hubs, which aim to promote sustainable livelihoods, capacity building, skill development for tribal communities, and digital literacy in the districts of Aizawl and Serchip in Mizoram.
Additionally, the hubs will raise awareness about substance abuse, nutrition, and preventive health to improve the overall well-being of the people of Mizoram.
The announcement of the STI hubs in Aizawl and Serchip, Mizoram, was made during the “Mizoram Conclave on C20: Education & Digital Transformation” event. The event was organized by the Civil 20 Working Group on Education and Digital Transformation (EDT) and hosted by Mizoram University and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. The conclave featured two panel discussions on “Education under C20/G20 & alignment to National Education Policy 2020” and “Digital Transformation under C20/G20.”
Governor of Mizoram Hari Babu Kambhampati was the Chief Guest at the event. Dr Renu Sharma, IAS, Chief Secretary of Mizoram, delivered the keynote address, while Dr Lalzirmawia Chhangte, Secretary of the School Education Department, Govt. of Mizoram, offered special remarks. Syed Musawwir Ali, IAS, Special Secretary of ICT, Govt. of Mizoram, was also in attendance.
During the event, Governor of Mizoram emphasized the challenges faced by the indigenous people of Mizoram. He highlighted that while the state has a close-knit community and vibrant civil society, a high literacy rate, and vast forest cover, a large percentage of the population still relies on shifting cultivation. This leads to endemic poverty, poor health, and cultural erosion, often linked to forest degradation.
He acknowledged the potential of education and digital transformation to help the people of Mizoram overcome these challenges and reduce reliance on subsistence agriculture in a world of unpredictable climate patterns. He expressed his happiness that Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has worked closely with tribal populations in mainland India to provide an integrated and sustainable approach to improving education, health, and livelihood through digital inclusion.
Dr. Raghu Raman, the Dean of Amrita School of Business at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, described the launch of the STI hubs in Mizoram as a historic moment in the effort to improve tribal livelihoods, education, and sustainability in the state. He explained that the objectives of the project include creating social enterprises, conserving indigenous knowledge systems related to Ayurveda, and developing a mobile/web-based platform to support better delivery of interventions.
According to Dr Raman, these STI hubs will directly benefit over 3,000 individuals and indirectly benefit around 40% of the ST/SC population in the two districts through Self Help Groups and knowledge dissemination. The project is expected to improve overall health status and increase awareness of health and nutritional imbalances, substance abuse, and digital literacy among the people of Mizoram.
Dr. Lalnilawma, Professor and Head of the Department of Extension Education and Rural Development at the School of Earth Science & Natural Resources Management, Mizoram University, noted that Mizoram faces several challenges, including high unemployment rates, low ease of doing business, and rising concerns of substance abuse among young people. Health indicators also highlight the high prevalence of anaemia in children, adolescent girls, and women, as well as the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases, including various types of cancers.
Dr. Lalnilawma further explained that the STI hubs, established by the two universities, aim to address these challenges. He also highlighted that Aizawl and Serchip have all the necessary ingredients to become a hub for science and technology innovation, with a strategic location, a well-developed education infrastructure, a skilled workforce, government support, and potential for entrepreneurship. These factors make these two districts ideal for setting up STI hubs.
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Dr Prema Nedungadi, C20 India EDT Coordinator, Director of Amrita CREATE, and Chairperson of Amrita School of Computing, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, stated that the STI hubs in Mizoram would implement an integrated Sustainable Livelihoods model to improve social and financial capital through technology transfer, skills training, digital literacy, community empowerment, and capacity building. The model would impact the four districts of Aizawl, Kolasib, Mamit, and Serchhip, offering livelihood empowerment, skills and capacity building, documentation of indigenous knowledge systems and healing practices, and a knowledge resource and databank to the Mizo people. It would also provide digital literacy to rural populations who have limited access to digital aids and train peer ambassadors to promote preventive health awareness in schools and villages.
In 2018, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, recognized Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham as a Center of Excellence in Tribal Empowerment through Digital Inclusion for its pioneering work in tribal development with an outstanding application and research-oriented foundation.
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