- Dr Ramdayal Munda Tribal Welfare Research Institute, Ranchi hosted the event
- 19 tribal women artists took part in a special art project
- Artists employed sketchbooks and paintbrushes as media for expression
The Dr. Ramdayal Munda Tribal Welfare Research Institute in Ranchi was filled with artistic fervor on Tuesday when 19 tribal women artists gathered to examine the nexus of gender and climate change using visual art. On Thursday, the three-day workshop will culminate in a public exhibition of their work.
The 'Gender and Climate Change' art workshop was launched by Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji, who stressed the need to project Adivasi women's voices in the climate debate. "I appreciate the organisers for this innovative idea. With their painting, these young women are providing influential inputs missing in public and policy discussion," she added.
Organized together by Asar and Deshaj Abhikram, the workshop summons tribal women from all over Jharkhand to think about the way that climate change affects rural and indigenous women unequally. From erratic rainfall to vanishing forests, the attendees are showing how environmental changes put more burdens on women in their daily lives.
Srijita Mal, a student at DSPMU, indicated her intentions to portray how deforestation is rendering simple activities such as collecting firewood and getting water harder. "It's about showing invisible labour and how climate change is amplifying it," she said.
Nishi Kumari, also from DSPMU, found the workshop to be an empowering space. "This is my first opportunity to put climate change thoughts into a form of art. It feels empowering to have this platform," she explained.
Manita Oraon, Ranchi University, is concentrating on how increased temperatures and scarcity of water interrupt girls' education. "When resources are low or schools shut down, it's usually girls who are withdrawn first," she said.
To Mansi Toppo, however, the workshop is not merely an art studio — it is a powerful tool for narrative. "By our artwork, we can express truths that words can at times fail to express," she said.
