A creative civic outreach initiative unfolded on an academic campus as journalism students used centuries-old puppetry to highlight the importance of nationwide data collection. Organised by scholars from Gauhati University's Department of Communication and Journalism alongside the Dr Anamika Ray Memorial Trust (ARMT), the performance series focused on sensitising the public about Census 2027 and the vital requirement of submitting precise, complete household records during official enumeration.
Creative Storytelling Takes Centre Stage on Campus
Staged right outside the BKB Auditorium on the university grounds, the puppet acts drew an enthusiastic audience composed of students, faculty, and campus staff. The young puppeteers combined interactive scripts, relatable local personas, and humour to unpack why participating responsibly in a national head count matters to everyday governance. Rather than using conventional lectures, the team demonstrated how ancestral folk media can seamlessly decode intricate modern civic procedures.
The central thrust of each act was tackling common public misgivings surrounding data collection, showing viewers why concealing facts or giving half-truths can distort national planning. By relying on a warm, culturally rooted theatrical form, the communicators made the entire enumeration exercise feel welcoming, transparent, and directly relevant to public welfare.
Folk Media Driving Behavioral Shift and Development
This community initiative emphasized the lasting power of traditional expressive arts within the frameworks of Communication for Development (C4D) and Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC). While contemporary public information strategies lean heavily on digital screens and internet platforms, indigenous performance traditions retain a distinct edge in bridging cultural distances, fostering grassroots trust, and securing genuine public cooperation.
The collaborating partner, the Dr Anamika Ray Memorial Trust, has established a reputable track record of reviving endangered folk puppetry into dynamic instruments of social intervention. Over recent years, the organisation has explored multiple distinct puppeteering traditions, including rod puppets, glove puppets, and classic marionettes, adapting each format to explain critical developmental themes in relatable idioms.
Wider Footprint Across Borders and Digital Channels
Past communication endeavours designed by the Trust have received backing from leading institutional bodies, including UNICEF, the Government of Assam, the Government of Sikkim, the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), and NEDSSS. Furthermore, these grassroots cultural productions have travelled well beyond Assam, finding audiences across various Indian territories as well as in neighbouring nations such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
For the participating university scholars, the project served as an experiential masterclass in translating academic media concepts into direct community action. Beyond the live campus demonstrations, the awareness-oriented puppet productions curated by the Trust have also been hosted on the official Dr Anamika Ray Memorial Trust YouTube channel, extending the lifespan of these educational folk narratives to an ever-widening online audience.
