TURA, SEP 1: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday launched the “Tracing the Roots” programme at the District Auditorium in Tura, an initiative aimed at scientifically documenting and deepening understanding of the state’s indigenous heritage.
The programme was launched in the presence of Arts and Culture Minister Sanbor Shullai and MLA Mehtab Chandee A Sangma on the occasion of the 79th birth anniversary of former Lok Sabha Speaker late Purno Agitok Sangma.
The Chief Minister said the project was inspired by the vision and motivation of his late father, who had long emphasised the need for proper scientific documentation of the roots, history, migration and culture of the people of Meghalaya.
Recalling a conversation with late Purno Sangma, the Chief Minister said his father had expressed concern over the absence of systematic research into the origins and historical movement of the state’s indigenous communities, particularly the Garos.
Sangma said the idea remained with him and eventually led to the formulation of the programme around two years ago.
“Tracing the Roots” will adopt a multidisciplinary approach involving historical research, oral traditions, indigenous knowledge, linguistics, archaeology and archival studies.
As part of the programme, 75 scholars will travel to Vietnam, Cambodia and Tibet to study the origins and historical journeys of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo communities.
The Khasi-Jaintia research team will undertake a study titled “Ki Dienjat: Re-examining Khasi-Jaintia Socio-cultural Linkages with Southeast Asia”, while the Garo component will examine theories relating to the community’s origins and historical movement, including the Tibet or northern highlands hypothesis.
The Chief Minister also launched a dedicated e-Portal that will serve as a central platform for research information, data and collaboration. The initiative is expected to eventually support digital archives, scholarly publications and educational resources for future generations.
Sangma said the programme was not merely an academic exercise but was closely connected with identity, heritage and collective memory.
“Tracing the Roots is more than a research project. It is a journey of rediscovery, undertaken so that we may reconnect with our past, understand our present and shape our future with greater confidence,” he said.
He also urged people to remember the teachings of their forefathers, particularly values of caring for others, mutual respect, peace and harmony.
The Chief Minister said the research programme could become an important milestone in documenting Meghalaya’s indigenous history and heritage for future generations.
