Bhubaneswar, Feb. 18: Utkal University will organise the Indian Anthropological Congress for the first time in the state.

It will be attended by over 400 delegates from across the country. The theme of this year's two-day conference, set to start on February 22, will be tribal transformations in contemporary India.

With Odisha having 62 tribal groups and 13 vulnerable groups, the session will focus on the difficulties of taking higher education in tribal core areas. Varsity vice-chancellor A.K. Das said: "The PG department of anthropology has started a pre-Congress event on tribal art of Odisha. Two events and 15 sessions will be held at the meet."