A Two Day International Conference on “Ethnobiology: Present and Future Perspectives” organised by Government Degree College Billawar ended today in blended mode.The Conference was organized by the department of Botany under the patronage of Higher Education Department and the guidance of the College Principal, Prof. Anita Jamwal, as an attempt to protect the traditional knowledge of our diverse flora, fauna and its significance in the modern times and also to conserve the forgotten rich cultural heritage,.
Chairman Block Development Council, Billawar, Ashok Kumar was the Chief Guest on the occasion.Chief Guest, Ashok Kumar lauded the efforts of the GDC Billawar for bringing the international masses to a single platform to protect and conserve the depleting knowledge of our cultural heritage as well as the traditional uses of plants.
O.P. Vidyarthi, terming the conference as one of the mega event in the history of UTJ&K, said that it will surely stir the minds of younger generation towards the traditional knowledge, local flora, biota, fauna and how all these are interrelated with each other and the environment.
Besides, he also focused on history, different ethnic methodology practices, how ethnic communities have used biological resources over different phases of his different geographical regions, ethnic communities living near or inside forests and how they they utilized, conserved, harvested, popularized and disseminated oral traditional knowledge on flora and fauna.
Earlier, Principal GDC Billawar, Prof. Anita Jamwal appreciated the efforts of Organisers and felt immense pride in taking the initiative of oragnising an International Conference on Ethnobiolgy. Highlighting the importance of the conference, she said that it will bring the scholars, faculties, scientists, intellectuals from across the globe in a common platform to discuss the significant interventions in the field of ethnobiology including its present and future perspectives.
Briefing the event, Organiser of the conference Prof Yash Paul informed the audience that the theme of the conference will cover a wide spectrum of thrust areas of ethnobiology. Since, the traditional knowledge on art craft, ethno medicinal plants, ethnic phytoremedies, tribal and folk heritage goes on decreasing day by day because of the reason that this knowledge is transmitted from generation to generation orally or through the words of mouth, he added.
In this conference hundreds of delegates from across the country and abroad participated to deliberate and discuss the varied theme of Ethnobiology and its impact on society. The resource persons invited from across the world as well as different parts of the country express and share their views, knowledge and experiences in a very effective and stimulating manner. Some of them mentioned here were Dr. Singh Brajeshwar, Head Division of Microbiology, SKUAST, Jammu, Dr. Deepak Arya, Kumaun University, Nainital, Dr. Lamia F. Shabi, Professor AINS Shams University Egypt, Dr. Purabi Saikia, Central University of Jharkhand, Dr. Basma, University of Pisa, Itly, Dr. Naresh Butani, Sarvanjnik University Surat, Gujrat and Dr. D. Satish Kumar, Indra Gandhi College of Arts and Science ,Puducherry. Dr. Lamiaa, a renowned Taxonomist of flora from Egypt highly appreciated the efforts of organizers and added that it is the best international conference she has attended in India in her whole career.
A plethora of papers were discussed on the theme during the course of two days through offline as well as online mode. Delegates from the different parts of the world exchange their ideas, thoughts and knowledge besides an exhibition of wild local medicinal plants and traditional plant based craft and other articles was also organized. The conference concluded with the valedictory function with the formal vote of thanks presented by the Principal.