HNLU Hosts Global Meet: “Law, Rights, and Indigenous Futures” — Tribal Knowledge in Climate Action
Chhattisgarh Tribal Affairs Minister Ram Vichar Netam told an international conference that indigenous knowledge can help tackle climate change and inequality. He spoke at the two-day online event “Law, Rights, and Indigenous Futures: Rethinking Tribal Justice in a Globalized World” (28–29 March 2026), hosted by Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur.
The conference was run by HNLU’s Centre for Study of Law and Indigenous People under Dr. Ayan Hazra, with Dr. Deepak Srivastav (Registrar in-charge) welcoming guests and Aashutosh Kumar Ahire as convenor.
Key takeaways
- Minister Netam urged policies that treat tribal communities as partners in sustainable development, grounded in constitutional values of justice, equality and dignity.
- He highlighted indigenous knowledge systems as practical tools for climate action and social equity.
- HNLU Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) V. C. Vivekanandan opened the meet, noting that tribal justice aligns with nature—unlike the “mastering nature” model—and called for clear policy action beyond academic debate.
Themes discussed in technical sessions
- Indigenous rights and constitutional frameworks
- Culture, identity and legal pluralism
- Climate justice and environmental sustainability
- Development, displacement and globalization
- Gender and indigenous communities
Closing session (29 March)
- Chief Guest Sonmoni Borah (Principal Secretary, ST/SC/BC & Minorities Development, Chhattisgarh) stressed governance, implementation and institutional partnerships for tribal empowerment.
- Dr. Avinash Samal (Director, School of Law & Humanities) thanked participants for the dialogue.
The event drew academics, policymakers, lawyers, researchers and students from India and abroad, giving young scholars and indigenous voices a platform to shape policy on tribal justice and inclusive, sustainable futures.