About the Institute

The Tai denotes a race of people of Mongoloid origin who are inhabiting in the large tracts of Southeast Asia extending from Northeast India and Myanmar in the west to Laos and Vietnam in the east and from the Yunnan of China in the north to Thailand in the Southeast. They are majority in Thailand and Laos. The Tais are found in innumerable groups and sub-groups under various local name such as the Shan, Thai, Lao, Dai, Yuan, Lue, Mulan, Nung, Bouyei, Sui and so on. Similarly the Tai families of Northeast India are known as the Ahom, Aiton, Khamti, Khamyang, Phake, Turung and Lai. These Tai families except the Ahom, still maintain the Tai Language as their mother tongue.

The establishment of Institute of Tai Studies and Research is a commendable academic venture which has the potentiality of attracting the scholars and tourists particularly from Southeast Asian countries to this region. It may also act as a catalytic agent of socio-cultural linkage between India and Southeast Asia besides giving a boost to the Act East Policy of Government of India. In fact, it is the first Institute of this kind in India dedicated to promote knowledge about the various Tai people of the world, their language and culture.

Objectives

To disseminate knowledge of Tai society, language, literature, culture, polity, economy and so on.
To maintain a Library and a Documentation Centre.
To maintain a Heritage Museum-cum Archive.
To organize Seminar, Lecture, Talk and Workshop.
To undertake research projects.
Publication of manuscripts, books, Journals, Bulletins and documents.