Mysuru:  A two-day National Seminar on ‘Tribal Development and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Issues and prospects’ organised jointly by Centre for Inclusive Growth and Development Research Trust, Mysuru, Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSEIP), University of Mysore and Basudev Somani College was held at the college premises in Kuvempunagar recently.

About 150 researchers and faculty of various colleges participated in the seminar featuring various technical sessions.

Inaugurating the programme by watering a sapling, Anthropological Survey of India, Kolkata Deputy Director Dr. M. Sasikumar said that India with tribals amounting to 8% of the population tops in the world. He expressed happiness in government funding tribal development projects but opined that the funding committee comprised only economists. He suggested inclusion of Anthropologist to uphold the culture of tribals. He pointed out that the tribals in North-East of India have developed significantly possibly owing to the influence of the arrival of the British then. He contended that the importance of CSR in tribal development was immense which should be given due thrust.

Karnataka State Open University Chairman and Dean (Academic) Jagadish delivered the keynote address. A book in Kannada on tribal development was released on the occasion.

The Institute of Education Trust Managing Trustee Dr. M. Puttaswamy was the guest of honour, College Principal M. Mahadevaiah, HoD of Commerce N.S. Venugopal and author of the book Dr. D.C. Nanjunda of CSEIP were present.