SCSNEI organises two days National Conference on "Participation of Poorvottar Bharat in the Bharatiya Swadhinata Sangram"

Special Centre for the Study of North East India (SCSNEI)

Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

 

Two-Day National Seminar

 

Participation of Poorvottar Bharat in the Bharatiya Swadhinata Sangram

 

To commemorate Swadhinata ka amrit mahotsava, Special Centre for the Study of North East India (SCSNEI) Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi is organizing a two days national conference on “Participation of Poorvottar Bharat in the Bharatiya Swadhinata Sangram” in collaboration with CNES, New Delhi on 20th June and 21st June, 2022 at Guwahati, Assam. The conference is sponsored by Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi and Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi.

 

Bharat is a land of rich social, cultural and political heritage. Since the Vedic times, it has witnessed both good and bad times under different political regimes. The rajas (rulers) of Bharat, ruling in different parts of the country in different historical time-periods, had proper knowledge of the state of mind, skills and capabilities of their prajas (people residing within their political territories). In such a situation, Bharat, despite consisting of many different politically administered units, functioned as a Rashtra on the basis of a common culture and value systems of the people. However, the British tried to take advantage of the existence of multiple rulers within the country. They targeted this attribute of the polity of Bharat to capture political power through divisive tactics. But, much to their surprise, they had to face several hurdles from people from different regions of the country, who challenged the foreigners through their spirit of Swa or self.

 

            Decentralization was one of the chief characteristic features of the pre-colonial political system of Bharat. The country was divided into many different regions, each administered by different rajas (rulers). Several regions remained under different rajas at some point of time or the other, but this did not affect the living conditions of the people living there. The rulers of these kingdoms had been ruling through several generations and were therefore quite well-aware of the challenges being faced by their praja and as well as the measures required to solve them. Very soon, the British understood the fact that they would not be able to implement their exploitative economic policies in the country unless they destroyed its socio-economic fabric that was naturally embedded in the society by different local rajas over a period of several decades. This was possible only by gaining direct or indirect political power over the territories. In the larger context, in such a conflict-like situation, the rulers also gained the support of their people. Through numerous unethical measures, the British attempted to impose misrule over the country and its people for their own economic gain. Many rulers, assisted by the local populace of the region, gave a befitting reply to the British for such misdeeds, but the tales of their valor have not been able to find their place of prominence in Bharatiya itihas even today. They remain only vaguely alive in the memory of the local public.

 

            The story of the Bharatiya Swadhinata Sangram in Poorvottar Bharat is one of the contributions of millions of people irrespective of their age, community, or gender. The villages of Poorvottar Bharat at that time were economically self-sufficient in nature. They were also bound by wonderful cultural and economic ties with their neighboring villages and towns. The production and processing of food crops and non-edible crops was significant to the economy of this region. Additionally, the rich reservoirs of resources like coal, iron, gold, limestone etc. added to the glory of this region. In such a scenario, the British colonialists began implementing a host of exploitative policies so that they could make full utilization of the vast natural and human resources of this region to suit their own commercial and economic interests. From increased land revenues to the promotion of tea plantations, such policies of the colonial state adversely impacted the day-to-day lives of the people of this region of Bharat to a large extent. It eventually led to the outbreak of several battles for independence. These movements played an equally important and historically significant role in the Bharatiya Swadhinata Sangram, especially from the point of view of questioning and challenging the self-proclaimed hegemony of the British. It may be mentioned here that some regions of Poorvottar Bharat specially Manipur and Assam, or what is today popularly known as North-East of India, went into the British hands after the signing of the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826. But, the attempt of the British to subjugate the bravery of the common people was immediately challenged by the likes of Gomdhar Kunwar and his associate Piyali Baruah in 1828. Their attempt to question and challenge British authority was met with imprisonment and death sentence. The authority of the British was also challenged in the hill areas of this region from the beginning of their advent in 1761 till India gained Independence. The people of Poorvottar Bharat also actively participated in the war of 1857. Freedom fighters like Maniram Dewan, Piyali Baruah, Narendrajit Singh, Matmur Jamoh and many more made the supreme sacrifice of their life for the freedom of motherland.

 

            Keeping the above in mind, it is proposed to organize a two-day seminar in Guwahati. This seminar will be organized by the Special Centre for North East Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi in association with CNES, Delhi at National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Khanapara, Guwahati, Assam.

Sub-themes: -

• War of 1857 and the contributions of the people of Poorvottar Bharat.

• The region of Poorvottar Bharat between the two World Wars, and its role in the Bharatiya Swadhinata Sangram. 

• Resistance of the people of Poorvottar Bharat against the Britishers interference in culture and faith.

• Peoples’ retaliation to exploitative legislations and economic policies imposed by colonial powers.

• Poorvottar Bharat and the INA.

• Bharat Vibhajan and the story of Poorvottar Bharat.

• Heritage/memorials of Bharatiya Swadhinata Sangram in Poorvottar Bharat. 

 

Abstract Submission

The abstract should be written in 250-300 words containing title, brief introduction, objectives, relevance, methodology and major findings of the paper. Please use Times New Roman 12 pt. fonts for English, Asomiya Rohini 12 pt. font for Assamese and for Hindi use Mangal 12 pt. fonts. Please submit the abstract at: azadi75.ishan@gmail.com by 25^th May, 2022. The languages for paper presentation in the conference are Assamese, Hindi and English.

 

 

Jawaharlal Nehru University

Jawaharlal Nehru University is the foremost university in India, and a world-renowned center for teaching and research. Ranked number one in India by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with a Grade Point of 3.91 (on a scale of 4), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi was ranked no 3 among all universities in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework, Government of India, in 2016 and no 2 in 2017.  Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi also received the Best University Award from the President of India in 2017.

 

          The educational philosophy of the university gets translated into its somewhat unorthodox academic structure. Grounded in a faith in the unity of knowledge, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi has sought to avoid the narrowly conceived Department structure of conventional universities, preferring instead to bring allied disciplines within a few broad and inclusive entities called Schools, under whose interactive ambit are placed the more specialized units, called Centers, there are also Special Centers that are outside even the broad structures of School but may grow further. Then there are Research Clusters that cut across Schools and Centers as well as some programmes, which are placed within specific schools but are built on the interests of faculty across the university. At present there are thirteen Schools and Eight Special Centers in the University.

 

Special Centre for the Study of North East India (SCSNEI)

 

Special Centre for the Study of North East India (SCSNEI) at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi was established in the year 2018, upgraded from a Programme of research and teaching called North East India Studies Programme (NEISP). In its new form, SCSNEI aims at expanding the horizons of research and teaching on North East India, rare in the country. The Special Centre is conceived with a purpose to build corpus of academic works on northeastern region of India. It also aims at holistic understanding of the region by bringing together different epistemic perspectives with strong commitment to multi-disciplinary research. While there are several researches already under taken on the region in different Schools and Centers of the university, the unique experiment initiated by SCSNEI is the ‘coming together’ of people and ideas for a better comprehension of the region. To fulfil this objective, SCSNEI initiates a collaborative exercise to run its academic programmes with the partnership of eight Schools of the university, viz. School of Language, Literature and Cultural Studies; School of Social Sciences; School of International Studies; School of Environmental Sciences; School of Arts and Aesthetics; School of Life Sciences; School of Bio Technology; and School of Computational and Integrative Sciences. SCSNEI provides a common platform to the faculty members working in the areas of humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and other allied disciplines, whose works are directly or indirectly linked to the studies on the region. A further step towards fulfilling the objective is to expand the collaborative works outside the confines of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi – with other academic and research institutions in the country and abroad.

 

This area studies programme, conceptualized under special circumstances, owns added responsibility of locating North East India in the national and broader regional frames of reference. To bring the region in the center of national discourses, SCSNEI has taken up activities of research and teaching that will not only familiarize North East India to the young academics, but also work towards positive intervention on the region and its people with expectations for rich dividend. The Special Centre shall play the role of a catalyst towards policy intervention by developing new methods and approaches for human development and holistic growth. To fulfil these objectives, SCSNEI is committed to work closely with state institutions, corporate bodies, civil society organizations and discerning scholars.

 

SCSNEI focuses on areas of research, such as, social change, religion and statecraft, empowerment politics, regional economic growth, livelihood studies, border trade and state policies, global capital and institutions, conflict, peace and security studies, borderland studies, intercultural discourses, aesthetics and performance studies, traditional knowledge, health, bio-diversity, folk medicine, etc. Students and researchers are encouraged not only to conduct in-depth research but also simultaneously develop social commitment to judiciously apply the freshly acquired knowledge.

 

Important Dates: -

25^th April 2022- Opening date for abstract of paper.
20 May 2022 25 May 2022- Closing date for submission of abstracts
25th May 2022- Notification date for acceptance of presentation of paper.

10 June 2022- Date for submission of the full papers

20^th and 21^st June, 2022- Conference.

 

Note: - Accommodation in Guwahati will be provided by the organizers to the selected paper presenters from the afternoon on 19^th June till the night of 21st June, 2022. Meals will be served at the venue of the session starting from 19^th June, 2022 (Dinner) until 21^st June 2022 (Dinner). The 2^nd Class 2AC (Serving employees)/3AC (Students/Researchers) Railway fare or State Road Transport actual fare by shortest route will be reimbursed by the organizers to selected paper presenters on production of original tickets. There is no registration fee for the conference.

 

Venue: -National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR)

North Eastern Regional Centre, NIRD Lane,

Jawaharnagar, Khanapara, Guwahati 781022,

Assam (INDIA).

E mail: -  azadi75.ishan@gmail.com

(For submission of abstract/full paper and other information).