RAIPUR: The country’s first digital tribal museum has begun evoking a deep sense of pride and historical connection among tribal youths, women, academicians and tourists. India’s first digital tribal museum, set up in New Raipur, the new capital city of Chhattisgarh, is generating excitement across communities.

The recently inaugurated Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Memorial & Digital Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum, opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has quickly become a major attraction.

The museum features life-sized sculptures and vivid representations of tribal freedom fighters and their resistance against the British Empire. It serves as an inspiring source for tribal youth and local communities who may be unaware of their rich history.

Divided into 17 immersive sections, the museum employs sound, light and digital projections to transport visitors into the world of Chhattisgarh’s indigenous communities. Each display, whether showcasing village life, crafts or heroic resistance, offers a visual feast filled with colour and movement that captivates both casual tourists and serious researchers. For local villagers, these exhibits evoke a deep sense of pride and connection.

“Our ancestors’ stories of resistance against British colonialism inspire us,” said Mahendra Netam, a tribal youth from the Sarguja region who now works as a bike taxi driver in Raipur. He stood in front of an exhibit depicting the 1857 tribal uprisings that swept through central India, where Adivasi leaders like Gend Singh and Veer Narayan Singh bravely fought against British oppression.

In addition to documenting tribal resistance history, another section of the museum highlights the daily lives of tribal people, including their cultural practices, food, household chores and last rites.