On 22 March RIWATCH had the distinct honour of hosting Lt. Gen. Abhijit S. Pendharkar, General Officer Commanding, 3 Corps. He was accompanied by Maj. Gen. R. S. Chandel, GOC, 2 Mountain Division, Dinjan; Brig. Kaustubh Kekre, Commander, 181 Mountain Brigade, Lohitpur; along with other senior Army officials.

During his visit, Lt. Gen. Pendharkar toured various departments of RIWATCH and expressed particular interest in the Centre for Mother Languages. He highly appreciated the institute’s dedicated efforts toward the preservation and promotion of endangered mother languages of Arunachal Pradesh. The institute’s scholarly contributions—including research publications, books on cultural heritage, and documentation of folk tales and folk songs—were commended for their depth and significance.

Shri Vijay Swami, Executive Director of RIWATCH, presented a comprehensive overview of the institute through a detailed presentation. The presentation highlighted RIWATCH’s journey, vision, and ongoing initiatives. He also shared the proposal for an upcoming museum extension titled “Life in the Bunkers.” This initiative aims to inspire youth to join the Defence services, shed light on the role of Northeast India’s freedom fighters, and provide visitors with an immersive, real-life experience of an Army camp.

Lt. Gen. Pendharkar appreciated RIWATCH’s vision of bringing traditional knowledge systems into the academic mainstream. He commended the institute’s impactful initiatives in cultural preservation and community development.

The visit was attended by faculty members, staff, and members of the RIWATCH Governing Council, making it a significant and enriching occasion for the institution.

News:

Arunachal Observer : https://arunachalobserver.org/2026/03/24/goc-visits-riwatch-praises-language-preservation-efforts/