~ 24 ~ International Journal of Advanced Academic Studies 2025; 7(9): 24-32 E-ISSN: 2706-8927 P-ISSN: 2706-8919 Impact Factor (RJIF):7.28 www.allstudyjournal.com IJAAS 2025; 7(9): 24-32 Received: 08-06-2025 Accepted: 13-07-2025 Jagulu Dakapraska Ph.D. Research Scholar, Education, School of Tribal Heritage and Tribal Indology (STHTI), and Centre for Sacred Groves, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India Dr. Manoj Kumar Behera Associate Professor, The Centre Head, Centre for Sacred Groves, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India Corresponding Author: Jagulu Dakapraska Ph.D. Research Scholar, Education, School of Tribal Heritage and Tribal Indology (STHTI), and Centre for Sacred Groves, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India Sacred groves and inclusive education: Empowering tribal women in Odisha Jagulu Dakapraska and Manoj Kumar Behera DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.33545/27068919.2025.v7.i9a.1666 Abstract This paper aims to explore the role of sacred groves in promoting inclusive education and empowering tribal women in Odisha. "Spirituality and ecology of the sacred groves. Although the holy groves harbour an abundance of biodiversity, a living Indigenous knowledge system is also preserved among the Indigenous community of the sacred grove keepers. The need to protect the holy grove and the transmission of intergenerational knowledge through the traditional roles of tribal women helps maintain a strong cultural identity and promotes ecological stewardship of the area. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with a focus on ensuring equity, access, quality, inclusiveness, and accountability, promotes the integration of Indigenous knowledge at all levels of formal education. Based on secondary data analysis of government reports, ethnographic fieldwork, and policy documents, the study discusses the potential of sacred groves as educational resources. The reflexive use of sacred forest knowledge enhances ecological literacy, sustains traditional living, promotes gender justice, and supports tribal women in securing sustainable income opportunities. Advocacy to promote policy paradigms like community conservation and co-managed educational strategies that connect formal education and Indigenous knowledge could be the way forward. The study suggests that acknowledging the contributions of tribal women and initiating community-centric education might conserve their sacred groves and empower tribal women, thereby leading to the continuance of the valorisation of Indigenous knowledge, and inclusive and sustainable community development. Keywords: Sacred groves, inclusive education, indigenous knowledge, tribal women empowerment, gender equity 1. Introductions Community-protected Forest patches consecrated to local gods, ancestors, or guardian spirits are known as sacred groves. In Odisha, among the Kandha/Kondh, Saora, Gadaba, Juang, and other Adivasis, these are regulated by customary norms rather than formal laws. They are classrooms of life where ecological understandings, moral codes, ritual practices, and social solidarity are passed from generation to generation. Sacred groves are forest patches which the local people have accorded a religious sanctity, and hence have been protected against any exploitation." Sacred groves are areas of virgin forest that have been traditionally preserved from all forms of resource extraction and are primarily dedicated to the mother goddess, as well as local deities. The sacred groves are not only historical tracts in nature, but they are also living archives of traditional knowledge and Odia heritage that extend beyond their status as biodiversity havens. Sacred groves are very special places and an essential part of tribal culture, particularly among the Kandha and other indigenous groups, as they create a sense of peace and brotherhood, and transfer traditional knowledge to the next generation. The sacred groves are not just a mirror image of a sustainable way of life and knowledge that is exclusive in itself, but are the essence of both spiritual and environmental identity. The target of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is inclusion in education with a keen emphasis on equal opportunities to high-quality education while also respecting the socioeconomic and cultural diversity of India. A blend of formal education with the traditional wisdom of groves could empower the tribal women of Odisha. In addition to improving education, using Indigenous ecology in school curricula enables tribal women through socioeconomic development and sustains their traditional identity. This paper explores the potential of sacred groves as powerful pedagogical resources for advancing inclusive education among tribal women in Odisha.