Summary:
Anthropos India Foundation, in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS), Bhopal, successfully organised a five-day Winter Workshop on “Ethnography and Documentation of Material Culture” from 24 to 28 December 2025.
The workshop brought together 40 participants from across India representing diverse academic backgrounds such as anthropology, archaeology, geography, literature, and allied social sciences. The programme aimed to strengthen both theoretical understanding and practical skills in ethnographic research and cultural documentation.
The workshop began with sessions on the theoretical foundations of ethnography and material culture, conducted by Dr. Sunita Reddy, Prof. Amitabh Pande, Prof. Sanghamitra Acharya, and Prof. K. K. Misra, followed by a guided visit to the Rock Art Caves at IGRMS, focusing on developing observational skills.
Subsequent sessions explored types of ethnography, material culture, and documentation of tangible and intangible heritage, led by Dr. Sunita Reddy, Prof. Amitabh Pande, Dr. N. Sakmacha Singh, and Dr. Anuradha P., held across the Naga Tribal Settlement and Mythological Trails within the IGRMS campus.
A key highlight of the workshop was an immersive field visit to Meharmanga Village, Tumda Kheda (Madhya Pradesh), where participants engaged in hands-on ethnographic fieldwork and documentation of material culture in its living context, under the guidance of Mr. Avinav Kumar, Dr. Sunita Reddy, and Prof. Amitabh Pande.
The workshop also included activity-based sessions on participatory appraisal tools, project proposal writing, research ethics, academic writing, referencing, and publishing, along with discussions on public policy and policy research. The programme concluded with participant presentations and certificate distribution.
Overall, the workshop provided a rich, interdisciplinary platform for learning ethnographic methods, field documentation, and applied research, fostering critical engagement with India’s diverse cultural heritage.