Austrian Anthropologist, Christopher von Furer-Haimendorf and his wife Elizabeth are likely to get their due place in the Adivasi milieu in Adilabad and neighbouring Kumram Bheem Asifabad district what with Gond elders deciding to go for erecting their bronze statues at a few places.
A meeting of Haimendorf Youth Association held at Marlavai village in Jainoor mandal of KB Asifabad district on Sunday formed a trust, in the name of the legendary researcher, which was given the task of making and installation of the statues at Asifabad town, Marlavai, Jodeghat, Keslapur and Utnoor.
Utnoor is the headquarters of Integrated tribal Development Agency and Keslapur village is the place where the famous Nagoba jatara is held annually.
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The Austrian professor and his wife had made Marlavai their home between 1942 and 1945 while conducting studies on the little known ethnic Raj Gond people and their problems. Haimendorf's work resulted in the seminal book on the unique tribe called The Raj Gonds of Adilabad, A peasant Culture of the Deccan.
Kanaka Ambaji Rao, district president of the Youth Association told The Hindu that there was a need for creating awareness on the work of the anthropologist among Adivasis in the four districts which had formed undivided Adilabad. He said not only statue installation but the trust will be responsible to look after problems facing the aboriginal people in terms of education and land, the two subjects on which the professor himself had focussed.
“We will tell Adivasi employees to contribute to the Haimendorf Trust in whichever way possible to get their involvement,” Mr. Ambaji Rao revealed. “The money will go towards welfare activities,” he added.
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The Trust will also be responsible to select at least one poor boy and girl whose need for education will be taken care by Nicholas Haimendorf, the researcher's son living in London. It was Nicholas, named Lacchu Patel after the then headman of Marlavai, who told the Raj Gonds during his 2012 visit to Marlavai to form a trust.
Among other decisions taken at the meeting was to celebrate the anniversary of Haimendorf's arrival at Marlavai from January 11, 2017 onwards. The meeting was attended by ITDA Assistant Project Officer (General) Kumram Nago Rao, Adivasi leader Kanaka Lakke Rao, District chief of Gond Rai Centres Mesram Durgu, Jainoor Agriculture Market Committee chairman Kumra Bhagwanth Rao, Adivasi Students Union State general secretary Vedma Bojju and Telangana Teachers Federation district secretary Kanaka Venkateshwar Rao among others.