New Delhi– Dr. Sonajharia Minz, a professor in the Department of Computer Science at Jawaharlal Nehru University, is a remarkable individual who has not only carved a niche for herself in the field of higher education by overcoming countless challenges but has also made history by being appointed as a UNESCO Co-Chair to promote the rights, knowledge systems, and self-determination of tribal communities on a global platform.
Representing India’s Oraon tribal community, Dr. Sonajharia Minz, alongside Dr. Amy Parent from Canada’s Nisga’a Nation, will jointly lead the UNESCO Chair in Indigenous Knowledge, Research, Governance (IKRG) and Transformative Reconciliation for the next four years. This appointment symbolizes a historic collaboration between Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. Over the next four years, the co-chairs will focus on uplifting indigenous communities in Canada, India, and beyond, strengthening their rights to self-determination and research governance.
Dr. Sonajharia Minz is the first tribal individual from India to receive this prestigious position. Since 1989, UNESCO has appointed 1,061 chairs, including Indians, but until now, no tribal person from India had been selected. Dr. Minz has not only become the first tribal woman but also the first person from India’s Scheduled Tribes to achieve this honor. However, her journey was far from easy—she overcame numerous social, linguistic, and gender-based challenges to reach this milestone. Earlier, in 2020, she set another record by becoming the first tribal woman Vice-Chancellor of Sidho Kanho Murmu University.
Born in December 1962, Sonajharia hails from Gumla district in Jharkhand. Would you believe that at just five years old, she was denied admission to an English-medium school because of her tribal identity? The reason was her Adivasi background and her father being a Protestant pastor, which was unacceptable to the Catholic school administration. This incident left a deep impact on her. She recalled, “I was only five, but I understood that I was denied admission because I was tribal. I don’t know if I understood discrimination, but I understood deprivation. I knew I was being excluded because of my identity, and that’s when I resolved to prove them wrong.”
When Minz was in first grade, her teacher remarked that she would become a good teacher someday. Taking it as a prophecy, she decided, “I was good at math, so I immediately decided I would grow up to be a math teacher.” She admits that language was a major struggle for her in school, but mathematics came naturally. “Math was easy—I didn’t need to know Hindi for it, which is why I loved it and vowed to excel in it.”
Once, a non-tribal math teacher tried to discourage her by saying, “You won’t be able to do it.” That remark only strengthened her resolve. She aced mathematics, scoring 100% in class, and was determined not just to excel in the subject but to become a math teacher herself.
After the Santhal tribe, the Oraon community is the second-largest tribal group in Jharkhand, with around 3.6 million people spread across several Indian states—1.7 million of whom reside in Jharkhand alone. Dr. Minz’s mother tongue is Kurukh, and she traces her lineage to the Minz (fish) clan, while her mother belonged to the Khes (paddy) clan.
Dr. Minz’s family moved from Jharkhand to South India, hoping to escape the discrimination they faced in their home state. "Because of our appearance, my father thought we would blend in better with the people there and wouldn’t face discrimination," she recalled.
After completing her pre-university course in Bengaluru, Minz pursued her undergraduate degree at Women’s Christian College, Chennai, followed by a Master’s in Mathematics from Madras Christian College. But she wasn’t just academically inclined—she also excelled in sports, particularly hockey. After MCC, she earned her MPhil and PhD in Computer Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi.
In 1990, Minz commenced her career as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Barkatullah University, Bhopal. By March 1991, she joined Madurai Kamaraj University’s Computer Science Department. In January 1992, she became an Assistant Professor at JNU’s School of Computer and Systems Sciences. She earned her PhD in Computer Science from JNU in 1997.
Promoted to Associate Professor in 1997 and then to full Professor in 2005, her research areas include Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Soft Computing (Rough Set Theory, Granular Computing), Data Mining, and Geospatial Analytics.
On 27 May 2020, Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu appointed her as the Vice-Chancellor of Sidho Kanho Murmu University (SKMU) in Dumka. Committed to mainstreaming tribal languages, art, and culture, she introduced new programs at SKMU, such as certificate courses in Santali culture studies, tribal design, and traditional crafts. In 2022, she participated in the Barcelona UNESCO Higher Education Conference, speaking on the role of indigenous knowledge in higher education.
After successfully completing her tenure as VC in June 2023, she returned to her home institution, JNU’s School of Computer and Systems Sciences.
Beyond teaching, Dr. Minz also served as President of the JNU Teachers’ Association, one of India’s most influential academic bodies. During her tenure, she actively advocated for marginalized students, ensuring their voices were heard and their struggles addressed.
A UNESCO Chair is a prestigious international academic position that promotes global collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and capacity-building in key UNESCO areas like education, culture, sustainable development, and human rights. There are over 1,000 UNESCO Chairs across 125+ countries.
The Indigenous Knowledge Research Governance (IKRG) is a community-led system that oversees research related to indigenous knowledge, rights, languages, and land. It emphasizes respect for nature, gender equity, and decolonizing research practices.
As Co-Chairs, Dr. Sonajharia Minz and Dr. Amy Parent will work with indigenous communities, organizations, and governments worldwide to:
Restore cultural heritage (returning stolen artifacts to rightful owners).
Develop indigenous-led research models.
Revitalize endangered indigenous languages.
Strengthen self-determination over knowledge and resources.
Their mission is to empower indigenous communities to reclaim control over their wisdom, identity, and future.
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