Ranchi Regional Centre

IGNCA, Regional Centre, Ranchi is one of the nine Regional Centres of IGNCA and has been functioning to study, preserve, conserve and disseminate the knowledge of the rich cultural heritage, culture and arts of the tribes of Eastern India, particularly Jharkhand. The Centre aims to preserve and conserve the dying and lesser-known art forms of the rich cultural heritage of various communities of Eastern India, focusing more on the tribes of Jharkhand. The Centre thrives to render a congregation for creative dialogue exchange through academic programs, national and international research programmes, conferences, seminars, festivals, performances, lectures, symposiums, panel discussions, exhibitions and workshops. To provide a livelihood to the tribal and traditional artists, the Centre provides them with a platform where their work and knowledge are promoted.

The Centre was set up after signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IGNCA and Ranchi University in the auspicious presence of Smt.  Droupadi Murmu, Hon’ble President of India and the then Hon’ble Governor of Jharkhand at Raj Bhavan, Ranchi on 10th February, 2017. The RCR’s primary objective are to preserve, conserve, study and disseminate the knowledge of the rich cultural heritage of the different tribes of Eastern India, particularly, Jharkhand.

The subsidiary aims and objectives of the RCR are as follows:

• To promote the traditional art system and practices by the different tribes of eastern India particularly Jharkhand.
• To disseminate indigenous knowledge systems of the diverse communities of Jharkhand.
• To conduct comprehensive research programs on various aspects related to tribal communities. This includes their culture, traditions, history, socio-economic conditions, livelihoods, education, health, and any other relevant areas.
• To generate knowledge and insights that can contribute to a better understanding of tribal communities and their unique challenges.
• To conduct state/national/international seminars, conferences, workshops, festivals, performances, and exhibitions to render a congregation for creative dialogue exchange.
• To nurture communication between traditional art and current philosophies to bridge the gap between indigenous culture and modern sciences.
• To explicate the formative and dynamic factors in the complex web of interactions between diverse social strata, communities and regions.
• To offer credit/non-credit courses to the students in the field of Tribal Art, Oral Traditions, Folklore, Traditional Knowledge System, Performing Arts, Storytelling Traditions, Cultural Information, Conservation and others.
• To install an informative library including the collection of rare manuscripts, audio-visual archives and vocational study materials.
• To collaborate with various Universities, State/Central Government organisations, autonomous bodies and NGOs for better outreach by organising academic programs.
• Characterized by cultural exchange programs, IGNCA-RCR dedicates itself to bringing about developments in the field of art and culture.

Through various academic endeavours, RCR attempts to culturally integrate the tribal culture with society. The activities pursue imparting knowledge of rich cultural heritage and tradition.

Activities done by the IGNCA- Ranchi Regional Centre (RRC) 

Following are the important projects  which have  already been  undertaken by RRC:

• Workshop cum performance on Nagpuri Dance.
• Workshop on Sohrai and Kohbar Painting.
• Lecture on “Archaeological Remains of Jharkhand”.
• Lecture on “the Santhal Oral Tradition and Its Cultural Aspects”.
• Lecture on “Cultural Informatics-A case study on Devnaryan”.
• Lecture on Hindi Diwas
• Lecture on Oral tradition and historiography of Jharkhand: A model study of the folklore and Folk art of Santhal Pargana.
• Photographic Exhibition on the Life of Bharat Ratna Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi (1916 – 2004).
• Lecture on Birsa Munda and his Birsai cult.
• RRC has launched a research project “Documentation of Art Heritage of Jharkhand”. The  research program has been started from Ghodasimar temple of Koderma district.
• The RRC has started a study program on “Birsa Munda and Religious Movement.”
• The Centre will soon start a course entitled “Post-graduate Diploma in Tribal Art and Crafts”.

Dr. Kumar Sanjay Jha,
Regional Director, 
Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA)- Regional Centre, 
Examination Data Processing Cell Building, 
Ranchi University Campus, Morabadi, 
Ranchi, Jharkhand - 834008 
Tel : 0651 - 2284711 (O),  
Email : igncarrc[at]gmail[dot]com, dr[dot]kumar68sanjay[at]gmail[dot]com