Manipur University of Culture is a state public university located in Imphal East district of Manipur, India. The institution is dedicated to the academic study, preservation, and promotion of the cultural traditions of Manipur and the wider North-East Indian region, including the performing arts, classical dance, music, literature, and indigenous knowledge systems.
| Name | Manipur University of Culture |
|---|---|
| Type | State public university |
| Location | Imphal East district, Manipur, India |
| Focus area | Culture, performing arts, and heritage studies |
| Country | India |
Manipur has a long-standing reputation for its distinct cultural identity, anchored by traditions such as Manipuri classical dance—one of the recognised classical dance forms of India—along with Sankirtana, Thang-Ta martial arts, indigenous theatre, and a rich body of oral and literary heritage. The state government established a dedicated university for cultural studies to provide a structured, degree-granting framework for these disciplines, which had historically been transmitted through gurus, akhadas, and family lineages.
The university operates under the Government of Manipur and complements the work of other state institutions such as the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy and the Manipur State Kala Akademi.
The university is intended to serve as an apex body for higher learning in cultural disciplines, offering teaching and research in fields connected with the arts and heritage of Manipur. Areas typically associated with such an institution include:
The establishment of a culture-focused state university in Manipur reflects a broader policy direction in India of creating specialised universities for arts, music, and heritage—similar in spirit to institutions such as the Indira Kala Sangit Vishwavidyalaya in Chhattisgarh. By formalising training in Manipuri arts within a university framework, the institution contributes to the documentation, transmission, and academic recognition of practices that are central to the cultural life of the state and the North-East region.