Neeti Rai first Sikkimese girl selected as Junior Research Fellow( JRF)under Ministry of Culture

Sikkim/Gangtok- Neeti Rai, D/o Gokarna Rai resident of Debrung, Namchi South Sikkim is the first Sikkimese girl to be selected as Junior Research Fellow ( JRF) under Ministry of Culture, Government of India to carryout research on the ethnic folk dance and music of Rai community. It was learnt that she is a graduate in Sociology and has also completed her masters in linguistic from distance education. Furthermore she was very much involved in culture of the Rai community along with was a part of Sangeet Natak Academy of Government of India but of North Eastern Region center since 2006. Informing about the fellowship she said that the officials of Sangeet Natak Academy used to inform the members of the academy about the fellowship but to achieve the same there existed some criteria’s like the fellow researchers has to reach the age of minimum 25yrs, belong to a particular ethnic community and has to present a synopsis to the ministry upon which the selection is done.Ms. Rai had applied for the JRF in the year 2010 and after scrutiny process completion in the year 2011 she was invited to Delhi for verbal interview where she was selected to carryon the research on ethnic folk dance and music of Rai community. “I have been selected , authorized to move ahead with the research works on the ethnic dance and music of Rai community and to begin with the research I will trace the origination of the folk dance, music of the community” said Neeti Rai while talking to Sikkim Mail.Adding more Ms. Rai informed that for conducting the research the ministry will be granting financial assistance or honorarium amounting to Rs. 10,000 per month to every JRF and soon after the beginning of the research the fellowship holder has to submit a report on half yearly basis to the ministry to get the honorarium sanction. Likewise after completion of the first year’s research the junior research fellow has to even undergo a verbal interview again with the ministry. Furthermore the specification, type of folk music, dance performed by the community will be carried out depending upon the variety of dance, music performed during particular events. ‘Silli’ is a type of dance but holds numerous varieties and every variety is performed on a particular event observed by the Rai community. The finding can be captured in writing or by videography or photography under the research works. The report, findings has to be sent to Ministry for compilation and on the basis of the facts placed by JRF a paper is prepared by the ministry which is published later for the use for the future researchers.
The program is of 2yrs period and every year 100  JRF are selected by the ministry to carry on the research on ethnic folk dance and music of any community across the nation. The most interesting criteria to be selected for the program are that the applier has to have involvement in his/ her own culture.
Source-sikkim mail