Centre for Cultural Linguistic Diversity
Eastern Himalayas
What is CCLD-EH?
At the Centre for Cultural-Linguistic Diversity – Eastern Himalaya (CCLD-EH), we are dedicated to documenting, describing, and sustaining the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of the Eastern Himalayan region, including northeast India and neighbouring areas of Bhutan, Tibet (China), Bangladesh, Myanmar, and eastern Nepal.
We recognise that languages and cultural traditions are living systems shaped by social change, mobility, and globalisation. Rather than approaching this work solely from an academic perspective, we collaborate directly with Indigenous communities, supporting them to document and research their own languages, knowledge systems, and cultural practices.
Our Work at CCLD-EH.
Our work centres on capacity building and community-led research. Through initiatives such as Training and Resources for Indigenous Community Linguists (TRICL), we provide practical training in linguistic documentation and research methods. Through fellowships like FLICR and FLICR+, we offer funding and structured support to Indigenous community researchers undertaking projects focused on their own cultural and linguistic heritage.
The projects we support document a wide range of knowledge, including traditional textiles, food practices, rituals, oral histories, plant knowledge, and other cultural traditions. These efforts result in both linguistic documentation and cultural records that are preserved in digital archives for future generations.
Our team brings together experienced linguists and community scholars, working in partnership to create sustainable documentation practices, strengthen local research capacity, and ensure that endangered languages and cultural knowledge remain visible, valued, and accessible.