Mizoram University NHM Becomes India's 21st Designated Repository Context : The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has declared the Natural History Museum (NHM) at Mizoram University, Aizawl, as India's 21st Designated Repository under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. About the Natural History Museum (NHM), Mizoram University It is located in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, one of the world's richest biodiversity regions. The museum focuses on lesser-studied organisms, such as pteridophytes (ferns and related plants) and macrofungi (large fungi like mushrooms). It also preserves and documents rare and endemic species found in Northeast India. About Designated Repository A Designated Repository is a scientific institution officially recognised under Section 39 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. It is authorised to receive, preserve, and maintain biological specimens safely for research and future reference. These repositories are notified by the MoEFCC in consultation with the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA). Importance of a Designated Repository Scientists who discover a new species or subspecies must deposit the Holotype (main reference specimen) and related voucher specimens in a Designated Repository. This helps confirm the scientific identity of the new species and provides a permanent official record. The preserved specimens also help the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) enforce Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) rules. These repositories play an important role in preventing bio-piracy and ensuring that India's biological resources are not commercially exploited without proper approval or benefit sharing. TribeX Platform Context: The TribeX digital learning platform was launched on 7 July 2026 by Union Tribal Affairs Minister during the National Workshop on Strengthening Tribal Research Institutes in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. About TribeX Platform It is India's first digital learning platform dedicated to tribal arts, culture, traditional knowledge, and skill development. It acts as a single online platform for learning, documenting, and preserving tribal knowledge.…
