The Research Study Program to Arunachal Pradesh provided students with an immersive academic and experiential engagement with the region’s diverse landscapes, indigenous cultures, and traditional built environments. The journey began via Guwahati to Dirang, allowing participants to acclimatise before undertaking an intensive exploration of high-altitude settlements. In Chug Valley, students visited the Living Museum of the Monpa House, a 200-year-old dwelling that offered insights into vernacular spatial organisation and material practices. Visits to a handmade paper mill and a water-powered grinding mill highlighted community-led sustainable technologies, complemented by settlement walks and on-site sketching exercises. A trek along the Mandala Circuit introduced students to the Brokpa pastoral community and their self-sufficient, migratory lifestyle. In Sangti, the study focused on Buddhist cultural landscapes, ritual spaces, and a community-managed waste management model demonstrating effective environmental stewardship. Exploration of a fortified village near Dirang further exposed students to vernacular construction, traditional weaving, and village-scale planning. The program continued to Tawang, where visits to the monastery, local markets, and the War Memorial contextualised the region’s cultural and geopolitical narratives. The final academic engagement in Shergaon and Morshing village addressed climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and traditional arts, concluding with a tree-planting initiative under ‘Project Granjo’. Overall, the study tour fostered a nuanced understanding of resilient indigenous environments and cultural preservation.
