By Dr. Syed Ahmed for TwoCircles.net,
Imphal: The North East India History Association (NEIHA) held its 34th Annual Conference from 11th to 13th November 2013 at Manipur University, in Manipur.
The conference, hosted by Department of History, Manipur University, was inaugurated at the Centenary Hall of the university on 11th November. The inaugural function was attended by Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur, Gaikhangam and Works Minister Dr. Kh Ratankumar as Chief Guest and Guest of Honour respectively. The President of NEIHA and Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar, Professor Tamo Mibang presided the function.
The function was also graced by Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University Professor H. Nandakumar Sarma, Local Secretary of NEIHA Salam Irene, Vice-President of NEIHA Professor Anowar Hussain, Registrar of Manipur University Professor N. Lokendra Singh and General Secretary of NEIHA Professor Amrendra Kumar Thakur as dignitaries.
Addressing the gathering, Gaikhangam said history is an important stream of social science which tracks human achievements and progress. History teaches us values. If our historians present the true facts of the past then we get the true values. However, false facts can mislead the people. Historians should be careful in presenting the information of the past. In our state too it is through the study of history that we get to learn the history of the origin of the different ethnic groups, or their contributions and achievements. In a society like ours where a mosaic of ethnic communities reside the historians should be careful and strive to present true information of the past. There are instances of manipulation of historical facts which has incited serious conflicts in the society, he added. He lauded NEIHA and its organizers for arranging its annual conference in the State.
Professor H. Nandakumar Sarma said NEIHA has been playing an important role in the construction of the history of North East India. The researches done by NEIHA have enriched our knowledge and understanding of the history, society and culture of the different communities residing in this region. The proceedings of NEIHA are in great demand in other parts of the country and even abroad. The published articles have helped the research scholars working on history of North East India, he added.
In his speech Professor Tamo Mibang said that history is a popular universal academic discipline. Today the popularity and relevance of the discipline have increased. History is not the rival of any academic discipline. It is the store-house in which all disciplines dwell together.
It is the treasure-house of human knowledge. It is the cement that binds together all the studies relating to the human nature, their trails, tribulations and achievements for centuries, Maibang added.
Proceedings of the NEIHA were released at the inaugural session.
More than 300 delegates attended the conference. Around 100 faculty members and research scholars of colleges and universities of the different States of North-East India presented papers in the three day conference.
Some of the titles of the papers presented at the conference were: Akhilesh Kumar Sankhdhar’s Literature and History in North East India as reflected in Hindi novels, Narayan Singh Rao’s North East India in the Age of Mahabharata: A Study of Pragjyotish-Karupa, Oinam Ranjit & Nushar Bargayary’s The Bodos: Tracing the Past, Amena Pasha’s Women in Decision- Making in Maghalaya, Salima Sultana Khandaker’s Development of Women Entrepreneurship in Assam, R. Jahan’s Some Unknown Heroes of Assam who participated in the Freedom Movement of India, Devdutta Sharma’s Marriage and Family among the Manipuri Brahmans, Nishikant’s Elements of Buddhism in Manipur, T. Subhas Singh’s An Overview of the Pangal in Pre-Colonial Manipur, Md. Shah Noorur Rahman’s Mughal-Ahom Political Relations, P.M. Passah’s The Jiantias and Human Sacrifice, Gautam Mushahary’s Bodoland Movement from 1987-2003, Luke Diamary’s The Emergence of Bodo Nationalism, Hemant Singh Katoch’s The Second World War’s Battle of Imphal, M. Nawaz Khan’s History of Press in North East India with special reference to Manipur, M. Thongkhosei Haokip’s The Kuki Rebellion 1917-19 – A Subaltern Reading.
The paper-reading sessions were chaired by some of the renowned historians of North East India, namely former faculty member of North Eastern Hill University Professor J.B. Bhattacharjee, former faculty member of Rajiv Gandhi University Professor S. Dutta, Professor M. Jitendra Singh of Manipur University, Professor A. Tripathi of Assam University, Professor Tamo Mibang, among others.
This is the fourth time that the annual session is being hosted by Manipur University.
NEIHA, hailed as one of the well-organized academic bodies of historians in the country, was established in 1979. The Association is committed to promoting scientific historical research of North East India. Its head-office is at the Department of History, North Eastern Hill University, Mawlai, Shillong.