KOKRAJHAR: Uttar Pradesh's Yagendra Kumar (men's) of Uttar Pradesh awarded first prize and Shameli Singh of Raniganj, West Bengal got first prize(ladies) in the Hills Trekking race competition being organized in connection with the ongoing 6th Baukhungri festival in Kokrajhar on Thursday. The Baukhungri festival entered second day on Thursday which saw huge thronging on the day with different colourful programme scheduled. Nearly 100 participants participated from different states of the country, apart from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur, Orrisa and districts of Assam state in the Hills Trekking competition being organized in connection with the Baukhungri festival along the Baukhungri Hills, which has been organised by BTC administration to explore tourism aspects in the state. Commanding Officer of the 12th Battalion Shik Light infantry GG Guddu flagged off the Hills Trekking at Harinaguri High School which climbed the Baukhungri Hills(measuring height is 1491 feets from sea level). Yagendra completed his trekking by 39.02 minutes in men's category which awarded first prize followed Bijay Deka of Kamrup rural in 39.14 minutes and Dela Sarkar of Dhupguri of West Bengal were adjust second and third prizes respectively in the men's category competition. In ladies category,West Bengal's Shameli Singh was scripted first,who completed her trekking in 46.51minutes,Deepali Chutia of Golaghat spotted second in 47.07 minutes and Matwara Ahmed of Boko Kamrup rural got third prize completed her target in 50.19 minutes respectively. The winners are to be awarded cash one lakh (first ),fifty thousand (second) and 25,000 (third) respectively. In the festival, indigenous games like Komlainai (Bodo wrestling) for both boy and girls category, Cock fighting games are also organized to marked the celebration. Games and cultural programmes have created huge amusement among gathering participants in the festival. Meanwhile, BTC education department ceremonially distributed incentives among the 192 meritorious students from four districts of the council are so, who are pursuing higher studies in various educational institutions across the country, apart from IIT, IIM, UPSC,PhD scholar, top in the HSLC, HS and distributed Scooties among BPL brilliant girl students who are studying in TDC courses. BTC deputy chief Kampa Borgoyary attended the programme as chief guest and ceremonially distributed among the students. Among others, BTC executive members Doneswar Goyary, Ansumwi Khunggur Boro, Education director RS Borgoyary,BTC principal secretary BC Phukan were prominent attendees on the occasion. Borgoyary told that the BTC administration was working to the uplift of human resources as well social integration in the region making healthy environment among all sections of society. He has urged the citizens of the region to dedicate for building healthy living society as well development. GG Guddu, army CO and Janjabati Basumatary, sports officer in BTC told that the sports events are being organized to create sporting environment in the region. They expressed their hope that the sports event will be encouraged about sporting among budding sports personalities.
SHILLONG, Mar 11: The Meghalaya government has postponed the elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) that were scheduled to be held on April 10, 2026, following violent clashes in West Garo Hills that left two people dead.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced the decision on Wednesday, saying the state government reviewed the prevailing law-and-order situation in the Garo Hills region before deciding to defer the polls.
The unrest erupted during the nomination process in Chibinang in West Garo Hills, where clashes broke out between groups supporting and opposing the participation of non-tribal candidates in the GHADC elections. Two persons were killed...
The Meghalaya High Court has set aside a controversial notification that made possession of a Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate mandatory for candidates contesting the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
Delivering the judgment on March 10, Justice H. S. Thangkhiew ruled that the February 17, 2026 notification issued by the GHADC Executive Committee lacked legal authority and did not follow the procedure required under the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951.
The court observed that the notification effectively barred non-tribal voters and candidates from participating in the council elections...
TURA, Meghalaya – March 11, 2026: Tensions surrounding the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), scheduled for April 10, have triggered violent clashes in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, leaving two people dead and several others injured. The unrest has also resulted in widespread vandalism and arson in several areas of the district.
The tensions stem from a controversial notification requiring candidates contesting the council elections to possess valid Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate documentation. The rule has effectively prevented many non-tribal residents—particularly Bengali-speaking Muslims living in the plains belt areas such as...
North East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), a grassroots development organisation based in Jorhat working with people’s struggles and community development initiatives, observed International Women’s Day at Chumoni Chapori village under the Jhanjimukh area in Jorhat district on Sunday, bringing together local women, community leaders and youth to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in society.
The programme was organized with the participation of women from riverine communities who shared their experiences, challenges and aspirations for greater social and economic empowerment. The event focused on raising awareness about women’s rights, gender equality and...
A significant milestone for literature from Northeast India has been marked with the publication of The Yellow Metaphor, a collection of poems by Assamese poet Jiban Narah, now released by Penguin Random House India.
The book is a translated anthology of Narah’s poetry and is considered a rare achievement for the region. It is reportedly the first translated poetry collection by a single poet from Northeast India to be published by Penguin, and among only a handful of works in a regional Indian language to receive such recognition from the global publishing house.
The Yellow Metaphor brings together 99 selected poems written over a span of 33 years, reflecting Narah’s long poetic...
Sivasagar, March 6: A meeting of organisations associated with the religious and intellectual affairs of the Tai-Ahom community was held on Thursday (March 5) at the public auditorium of Bakata Parijat Panchayat in Sivasagar district. The meeting was chaired by Jibeshwar Mohan Deva, founding principal of Tingkhang College.
Several prominent personalities attended the meeting, including Manaranjan Baruah, president of the Mohan-Deodhai-Bailung Sanmilan; Vidya Phukan, president of the Mohan-Deodhai-Bailung Pandit Parishad; former president of Phra-Lung-Moung Assam Golap Gohain; secretary Pranjal Mohan; noted Tai cultural researcher Kamal Jyoti Mohan; Tai-Ahom scholar Nripen Mohan;...
Guwahati, Feb 28: The Assam government’s decision to seek a 5 per cent stake in Oil India Limited (OIL) has triggered discussion on the State’s long-term approach to the oil and gas sector in the Northeast.
The proposal, under which Assam has sought a minority share in OIL — where the Government of India holds 56 per cent — will be examined by the Centre, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the State is extending full cooperation to oil sector companies and urged that shares be allocated to Assam to support smoother functioning and stronger coordination.
Reacting to the development, Shantikam Hazarika — former Chairman of...
New Delhi, March 1: Concerns have been raised over the national HPV vaccination campaign launched on February 28, 2026, with a citizen questioning its scientific basis, operational preparedness, and public health prioritisation.
In a public statement, Donthi N. Reddy said that not a single state has published baseline data on cervical cancer incidence or HPV prevalence prior to the rollout. Without such baseline indicators, he argued, outcomes cannot be measured, and without measurable outcomes, the reported annual expenditure of ₹1,300 crore cannot be properly evaluated.
The campaign involves administration of the HPV vaccine Gardasil-4 to 14-year-old girls across the country, aiming...
North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), a grassroots civil society organisation based in Jorhat, Assam, participated in the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD), convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) from 24–27 February, 2026, at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.
Tirtha Prasad Saikia, Director of NEADS, represented the organisation at the Forum. He also participated in his capacity as the Constituency Focal Point for People Affected by Conflicts and Disasters and as a Regional Coordinating Committee Member of the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM).
During...
The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Wednesday submitted a detailed “Chargesheet 2026” against the BJP-led Assam government, symbolically placing it before what it termed the “People’s Court of Assam.” The chargesheet targets the government headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, covering the period from May 10, 2021 to February 18, 2026.
In a press briefing in Guwahati, APCC leaders alleged large-scale corruption, economic mismanagement, constitutional violations, and failure to protect the rights of indigenous communities. The document lists 20 major charges, including the alleged operation of a “syndicate raj,” accumulation of illegal wealth, rising public debt, and...
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