OUR CORRESPONDENT
KOKRAJHAR: The 44th annual session of the North East India History Association (NEIHA) commenced from Tuesday at Bodoland University (BU) in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTC) of Assam. The three-day programme, held from November 17 to 19, has drawn together prominent historians, researchers, and academicians from across the Northeast and beyond.
The programme opened with a welcome address by Dr Subung Basumatary, Registrar of BU, who greeted the participants and highlighted the significance of hosting the session at Bodoland University.
This was followed by the inaugural speech by Prof BL Ahuja, Vice-Chancellor, who commended NEIHA’s enduring role in advancing historical studies in the region. He encouraged scholars to adopt interdisciplinary approaches to deepen their understanding of Northeast India’s complex and diverse past.
Prof Amena N Passah, General Secretary of NEIHA, presented the annual report and reiterated the association’s vision: to promote rigorous historical research, encourage documentation of indigenous and local histories, foster academic collaboration and strengthen the collective understanding of Northeast India’s cultural and historical landscape.
A special address was delivered by Biswajit Daimary, Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly, who emphasized the importance of preserving the region’s heritage through scholarly research and active engagement with local communities.
During the ceremony, Prof Salam Irene, President of NEIHA, introduced the President-Elect to the delegates. This was followed by the Presidential address by Prof Sudhir Kumar Singh, who outlined his roadmap to enhance NEIHA’s academic visibility, expand research networks and support emerging scholars.
Throughout the second half of the day, scholars presented a wide range of research papers on themes including the historiography of the region, regional identity, community histories, linguistic traditions, and contemporary socio-political development.
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