Tezpur University has started the project STRIDE (Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy) Component-1 to revive Assam’s cultural artifact, Gamosa.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) awarded the prestigious project STRIDE Component 1 to create research capacity and human resource development on the intellectual property of Gamosa and develop disruptive innovation in its supply chain.
A threadbare discussion on the challenges to revive the cultural artifact ‘Gamosa’ was organised by the university at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati recently.
Speaking at the consultative workshop, Dithakananda Hazarika, managing director of Assam Government Marketing Corporation Ltd (AGMC), stressed the socio-cultural identity of Gamosa among different communities of Assam.
Prof. Birinchi Kr. Medhi, a retired professor at the Department of Anthropology, Gauhati University, discussed the historic evolution of Gamosa and its present desecration due to its creative destruction.
Intellectual Property Rights Chair professor of Tezpur University, Pritam Deb, explained the outreach activities of Tezpur University IPR Cell and the revival of GI status granted to Muga silk.
The Xatradhikar of Uttar Kamalabari Satra in Majuli, Janardan Deva Goswami made an appeal to work together and emphasized the need for institutional collaboration required to revive the heritage of Gamosa.
The workshop was attended by about 47 weavers of Chariduar in Sonitpur district of Assam along with a gathering of learned and interested people of the state and concerned officials of the Assam government.
These expert weavers highlighted their supply chain problems to the forum, said a press statement issued by Tezpur University.
The discussion was attended by Prof. Joyshankar Hazarika of Darrang College, handloom retailer Bhaskar Dutta Goswami, educationalist Shantikam Hazarika, Satriya dance guru Gopalkrishna Goswami, founder of Indian Weavers Alliance Saumar Sarma and secretary of Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra Sudarshan Thakur.
Dr. Sriparna B. Baruah of the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, Lolly Hazarika of Assam State Museum, handloom entrepreneur Maitreyee Adhyapak; Dr. Subhra Devi, assistant curator of Tezpur Unversity, and social worker Pranjit Saikia also attended the workshop.
Tezpur University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Vinod Kumar Jain, who participated in the event virtually, hoped that the efforts taken by the University would help in empowering the weavers, accelerate the Gamosa supply chain and restrict desecration of its cultural heritage.
The project is expected to help about 400 households in the handloom cluster of Chariduar Revenue Circle of Sonitpur district, it said.