President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Aadi Mahotsav 2024 at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday. The event is being organized by TRIFED under the aegis of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs with aim to showcase the rich diversity of India’s tribal heritage. This year this festival will run from 10 to 18 February.

Speaking on the occasion, President Murmu said that the festival was a good opportunity to get acquainted with the lifestyle, music, art and cuisine of the tribal brothers and sisters from every corner of the country. She expressed confidence that people will get an opportunity to know and understand many aspects of the life of the tribal society during this festival.

The President also said that the tribal communities all over the world have been living in harmony with nature for centuries and that the world ought to learn from the tribal lifestyle to solve the problems of global warming and climate change.

Emphasizing the role of technology in modern development, she said that the tribal community too should endeavour to use technology for sustainable development and all-round development of all the people of the society.

The President said that India has a priceless storehouse of traditional knowledge but regretted that this knowledge is dying out and stressed that effort should be to accumulate this invaluable fund and also use it properly as per today’s need. Technology can play an important role in this effort also.

The President Murmu appreciated the launch of the Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Tribes (VCF-ST) and expressed confidence that this will promote entrepreneurship and start-up culture among the people of ST community. She urged the youth of the tribal community to take advantage of this scheme and establish new enterprises and contribute to building of a self-reliant India.