Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS), Ranchi, hosted the Second DrKumar Suresh Singh Memorial Lecture on 19 November 2024 at the Fr Michael Van den Bogaert SJ Memorial Auditorium, marking the 91st birth anniversary of Dr KS Singh. The event, organized by the Dr Kumar Suresh Singh Tribal Resource Centre, featured Prof Nandini Sundar from Delhi School of Economics as the memorial lecture speaker. Chief Guest, Fr Ajit Xess SJ, Chairman, XISS Governing Body, along with Director, Assistant Director, Dean Academics, Alumni Association of XISS Members, along with friends, and colleagues attended the memorial lecture to honor his legacy.

The program began with a tribute to Dr KS Singh at the Resource Centre, attended by XISS dignitaries, faculty, guests, and first year students of the Rural Management Programme. Chief Guest welcomed everyone and congratulated XISS for organising the event and especially for setting up the Tribal Resource Centre. He thanked Prof Nandini Sundar for delivering the lecture and celebrating the life of Jaipal Singh Munda.

DrJoseph Marianus Kujur SJ, Director, XISS, opened the memorial lecture by highlighting DrSingh’s pivotal contributions to understanding tribal identities and socio-economic issues, especially in Jharkhand. He also emphasized DrSingh’s advocacy for Adivasi rights, and the memorial lecture series organised by XISS every year continues to celebrate his lasting impact.

In his address, DrKujur said that Dr Singh believed education was key to empowerment and fought for quality education for Adivasi children. He advocated for tribal communities’ rights to land and natural resources, opposing displacement and exploitation. His efforts were instrumental in shaping policies and legal frameworks, including the Forest Rights Act, to protect tribal rights.The purpose of establishing this resource centre is to give recognition to the contributor and to encourage scholars across the country to consult his findings for further research in tribal development. This memorial lecture discussed the situation of tribals over different development indicators such as Tribal Sub-Plan, Health, Education, Poverty in the past decades. Dr Kujur concluded saying that XISS hopes that this memorial lecture will attract various scholars to the centre in future and XISS will be able to contribute to the literature on tribes at large.

In the second Dr KS Singh Memorial Lecture, Prof Nandini Sundar reflected on the legacy of Dr KS Singh, a pioneering anthropologist and civil servant known for his groundbreaking work on Adivasi communities, particularly the People of India project. She highlighted his commitment to Adivasi rights and his deep connection to their cause, noting his humility despite his prestigious career. Sundar then shifted focus to Jaipal Singh Munda, an Adivasi leader who, despite his elite education, remained dedicated to advancing Adivasi rights. As a key member of India’s Constituent Assembly, Jaipal Singh Munda fought for a distinct Adivasi identity and autonomy, though his call for recognizing "Adivasi" in the Constitution was rejected. His efforts significantly shaped the Jharkhand movement.

She compared Jaipal Singh Munda’s impact to that of Dr BR Ambedkar, and said that while both advocated for marginalized communities, Dr Singh’s influence was more localized, centered in Jharkhand. A parallel can be drawn between the development of Dalit and Adivasi identities in Indian politics, which has significant legal milestones for Adivasis, like the Forest Rights Act. Jaipal Singh Munda’s enduring legacy as a leader is who remained ‘Proud to be Adivasi,’ fighting for cultural pride, autonomy, and justice for his people.

The memorial lecture then continued with a memoir show on Dr KS Singh, along with an open house where audience discussed the topic with the speaker. Towards the end of the memorial lecture, a synthesis of the day was done by Dr SK Prasad, Dr Uma Chatterjee Saha gave the vote of thanks, and the event was coordinated by Aayurshi Sahay.

About the Dr K S Singh Tribal Resource Centre

The Resource Centre established in XISS in 2022 features approx. 3500 books, more than 400 manuscripts, handwritten and typed notes of Dr Kumar Suresh Singh on a range of topics including Birsa Munda, Tribal Movements in India, Tribal Society of India etc. The Resource Centre is in process of digitalising the entire centre for people to access from across the world. For more details on the vast collection available, membership policy and timings of the resource centre, one can connect with the XISS Library through the website.