The Department of Anthropology commemorated its 50 long years of journey with a two day Golden Jubilee Symposium on ‘India’s North East: Contribution of Anthropology’, in collaboration with Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal on 26th and 27th May, 2016. Professor Annada Charan Bhagabati, former Professor, Department of Anthropology, Dibrugarh and Gauhati University, former Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University and Honorary Coordinator of North-East Division of IGNCA made an eloquent and nostalgic address on the history and growth of the Department in the last 50 years. Professor Nitul Kumar Gogoi, Head of the Department and the Chairperson of the Symposium in his address welcomed all the distinguished invitees who have come across the country to deliver their invited lectures and also upon some of the recent developments of the Department.
The Symposium was inaugurated by Professor Alak Kumar Buragohain, Vice Chancellor, Dibrugarh University. In his Inaugural Speech, he highlighted upon the significance of Anthropology in the context of the North-East India as well as the recent advances made in the domain of Molecular Biology to trace the origin and divergence of Homo sapiens from the Bio-Anthropological perspective. Professor Sarit Kumar Choudhuri, Director, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal, graced the inaugural session as the Guest of Honour. He stated the significance of Museum in the teaching and learning process of Anthropology and stressed on the documentation and interpretation of the Museum exhibit for a the holistic approach towards the understanding of Anthropology.
The warmly applauded inaugural session was followed by the felicitation of the former members of the faculty on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee celebration in recognition of and gratitude for the dedicated service rendered to the department. The former members felicitated were Prof. A.C Bhagabati, Dr. P.C.Saikia, Prof. R.K.Kar, Prof. F.A.Das, Prof. I.Barua, Dr. D.Dutta Das, Dr. A.K.Das and Dr. M.N.Dutta.
A number of papers were presented during the two day symposium.