India, Oct. 27 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs will observe Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada across the country from 1 to 15 November 2026, culminating in Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas on 15 November, the birth anniversary of Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda. More than a commemoration, the Pakhwada is a focused, time-bound drive to accelerate the Ministry's flagship programmes, take their benefits to tribal families at the last mile, and build awareness of schemes and entitlements among tribal communities, students and citizens.
The Government of India designated 15 November as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas in 2021 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda, under the leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The day honours the contribution of tribal heroes to India's freedom struggle and the lasting place of tribal communities in the nation's cultural, spiritual and social life. Since then, Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas has grown into a national movement that celebrates the resilience and cultural diversity of India's tribal people, and has given momentum to transformative programmes such as PM-JANMAN and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan. During the previous 5 years, JJGD has been celebrated at Ranchi-2021, Khunti-2022 & 2023, Jamui-2024, and Dediapada-2025.
The 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda was observed as Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh in 2024-25, with over 28 national-level events and more than 2 lakh activities that drew over 3.8 crore participants. For tribal communities, Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas stands for recognition of their role in the freedom struggle and of their knowledge, art and harmony with nature.
During the JJGD celebrations for this year (2026), the Ministry has lined up a series of national events through the fortnight. List of the events planned as below:
In addition to above, On Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, over 300 projects for tribal communities across States will be taken up, with 228 ready for inauguration and 74 for foundation stone laying. These include a new Tribal Research Institute building in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Ropuiliani Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum at Kelsih, Mizoram.
Two national digital initiatives will also be launched. The Jan-HIT (Janjatiya Health Intelligence and Technology) Portal, developed with ICMR, is India's first platform for tribe-disaggregated health data, covering 20 States. The National FRA Digital Platform will bring the entire process of forest rights claims under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, from Gram Sabha submission to digitally signed titles, onto a single system.
Further, States and UTs are celebrating the Pakhwada through their Tribal Research Institutes, which have planned more than 160 activities in 19 States/UTs with an expected footfall of over 1 lakh people. These range from cultural festivals, exhibitions and tributes to competitions in schools, EMRS and hostels, and welfare and livelihood camps. Highlights include a statewide tribal carnival in Andhra Pradesh, the Adivasi Kala and Khel Samagam in Goa, a Bhagwan Birsa Munda Pavilion in Odisha, a Tribal Music Festival in Shillong and a tribal art and craft fair at Amdavad Haat, Gujarat. States will also hold Aadhaar and scholarship camps, sickle cell screening, Ayushman card camps for PVTGs, and legal literacy camps on forest rights.
The Ministry invites citizens to join the celebration by attending events in their area, taking part in the JJGD quiz and pledge on MyGov, supporting tribal artisans, and sharing their stories with #JanjatiyaGauravDivas and #JJGD2026.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
