For all the back breaking work our research team carries out in order to uplift society, their purpose is defeated until and unless all of their work is laid bare for the people to scrutinize. Hence, we at Centre for Developmental Studies and Research (A part of Zav Foundation) organize conferences at regular intervals to promote our research and invite fellow scholarly peers to participate and share their invaluable knowledge with us. One such conference was held three years ago in Jodhpur titled “Tribes in India: Challenges and Their Role in Changing Environment”. The aim of the conference was to spread awareness about the oft maligned and neglected indigenous tribes of the nation who have been such an integral part of our country and culture and yet receive little to no recognition from the rest of India. As a part of a culture that has been handed down and stoically followed over several generations, most of these tribes still choose to live in total seclusion from society inside deep jungles or high on the mountains and are heavily confronted by severe health hazards. Akin to their predecessors, these tribes still predominantly rely on an agrarian lifestyle and as a result of intensive urbanization and deforestation, their lifestyle is under perilous threat. Moreover, owing to their reclusiveness, these tribes are seldom well educated and hence, on a holistic outlook, they would not fit into the modern society. The CDSR research team had already dedicated sufficient efforts towards the problems of these tribes and with the conference, it hoped to further its own understanding of their problems through discussions with knowledgeable peers and attempt to forge policies and strategies best suited to ensure the continued sustenance and survival of these tribes. The following sub themes were selected for the conference:

• Socio-economic, political and other problems of tribes.
• Environmental degradation and tribal problems.
• Traditional knowledge of tribes and the subsequent effects on environment.
• Traditional and changing patterns of tribal livelihood.
• Sustainable livelihood enhancement of tribes in India.

All in all, the conference was a great success and has paved the way for further research and development which will ultimately culminate in the betterment of some of the most marginalized people in our society. This is just an example of how knowledge is a dish best savored through sharing and how only by working with one another can we dream of a brighter India.