A three-day international seminar, “Beyond Borders and Texts: Reframing the History and Polity of Highlanders in the Eastern Himalayan Borderlands,” began on December 9, 2025, at the MMTTC Lecture Hall, Mizoram University, bringing together scholars to re-examine the region’s history, identity and political narratives through indigenous perspectives.
Organised by the Department of History and Ethnography, Mizoram University, in collaboration with the MMTTC, the seminar opened with an inaugural session chaired by Prof. Kishor Gaikwad, Head of the Department. The programme began with the formal felicitation of the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour, followed by an introductory address from Prof. K. Robin, Convener of the seminar. He stressed the importance of moving beyond colonial frameworks and urged participants to interrogate established understandings of the Eastern Himalayan borderlands.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. David C. Williams of Indiana University’s School of Law emphasised interpreting highlander identities through their own lived experiences, practices and collective self-understanding, rather than relying solely on colonial records. His remarks set the tone for the seminar’s broader aim of reframing regional scholarship.
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A highlight of the session was a special lecture by Prof. Sajal Nag of Royal Global University, Guwahati, who underscored how Mizo songs and dances functioned as subtle yet powerful forms of cultural resistance to colonial authority. His presentation drew attention to the role of expressive traditions in sustaining indigenous identity under colonial rule.
The Guest of Honour, Prof. Vanlalchhawna, Finance Officer of Mizoram University, commended the initiative, noting its relevance to current academic and socio-political discourse. The Chief Guest, C. Lalsawivunga, Minister for Art and Culture, Government of Mizoram, highlighted the importance of strengthening research and indigenous historiography to shape future scholarship.
The inaugural programme concluded with a vote of thanks from Dr. Lalrinnunga Hmar, Associate Professor, Department of History and Ethnography, who acknowledged the dignitaries, scholars and organisers for their contributions to the successful start of the seminar.
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