GUWAHATI, Oct 28 ? The Kolkata-based Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS) has taken up a major initiative to expand socio-cultural research activities in the North East. It has funded several research projects on the region in the past few years apart from publishing books relating to the region.
MAKAIAS director Mahavir Singh told newspersons here today that since the past three years the institute has been involved in research activities in the region in a big way. MAKAIAS is funded by the Union Department of Culture and is expected to spend ten percent of its funds in the North East, he informed. The thrust is on funding research projects by individual scholars, he said.
In the three years, MAKAIAS has undertaken 32 projects in the North East, including ten seminars. Three more seminars will be held in the region by March next, Singh informed. The institute has already published ten books on the region. Five of these books were released today during an interactive session of the scholars associated with its North East programmes at the Assam Administrative Staff College.
Present on the occasion were MAKAIAS executive committee chairman Devendra Kaushik, former Arunachal University vice chancellor AC Bhagabati, MAKAIAS executive committee member SK Ray and its coordinator for the North East JN Phukan.
Among the books released today are Reopening of Stilwell Road-Prospects and Problems, edited by D Nath, Illegal Migrations and the North East by Sibopade De, India?s North East and the travails of Tripura by Shyamal Kumar Ray, Naga Society-Continuity and Change by N Venuh and Cross Border Migration Mizoram, edited by Sangkima. Singh said that five more books on the region would be released shortly. He said that MAKAIAS is seeking to strengthen its research programmes in the North East.