The Young Scholars Forum (YSF) 2017 - “India’s North Eastern States and Eastern Neighbours: Borderlands, People and Connectivity”
Date: Thu Mar 09, 2017 - Fri Mar 10, 2017
Location: Asian Confluence Centre, Shillong , Hosts: Asian Confluence
Location: Asian Confluence Centre, Shillong , Hosts: Asian Confluence
Asian Confluence in collaboration with the Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA), organised the Young Scholars Forum 2017 on March 9th and 10th for new, forward-thinking, and positive scholarship, engaged in research advocacy on Northeast India and its borders with South and South East Asia, drawing the region’s unique geopolitical significance, economic potential and cultural diversity.
The Young Scholars Forum 2017 was a grand accomplishment, yet again basing on the previous successes of the Forum previously held in December 2015 as a follow-up to the “Shillong Consensus” that emanated from the “Shillong Dialogue” hosted by the Asian Confluence and Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA) in 2014.
The event saw a large number of participants ranging from the scholars, research scholars, the teachers and students of various colleges from in and around the city who have shown their growing interest in the event over the years reaching a new water-mark in this year’s Forum. There was an absorbing brain-storming session for the past two days, on the 9th and 10th of March, each drawing a significance of its own on how important a working relationship between India, in particular the North Eastern states with our immediate neighbours are and the impacts and after effects that partition has incurred, particularly the effects and after-effects on trade relations and economic sustainability of the people living in the borders.
The Seminar also saw a host of eminent scholars and critics. The inaugural session was chaired by former Ambassador Riewad Warjri of Meghalaya on the 9th of March. The Seminar, on the second day, altogether consisted of three sessions which were chaired by the shared wisdom and insights of prominent scholars from the likes of Dr Sreeradha Datta, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Kolkata, Professor L.S. Gassah, North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Professor Sarah Hilaly, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar, Professor Sajal Nag, Assam University, Silchar and a few more which in its entirety culminated to a wider outlook into border, borderlands, people, natural resources, and connectivity.
It is important to specifically mention a documentary film titled “Pemako: In search of a lost land” which was screened on the concluding day. The film talks about the fabled land revered in Tibetan Buddhism, situated in the deep mountain folds of Arunachal Pradesh, was screened on March 10, 2017 at 6:30 pm followed by dinner.
Being a 30 minutes movie, it captures the journey into the village of “Pemako” where only a few brave men and women would dare to undertake a journey deep into the hollowed realm of the fabled land, that lies protected by fierce guardian spirits and enchanted fortress, which is revealed only to a handful blessed souls.
Furthermore, the documentary also delves into what is believed to be a land of great wealth and eternal happiness, and only those blessed by Guru Padmasambhava, who was believed to have lived for over 3000 years, can set foot within its creasing. Centuries ago, Buddhist monks predicted that the world will one day be reduced to a hellish state, but only those who are brave to undertake the journey to “Pemako” and rest his head on its Holy Ground, will be liberated from worldly shackles and attain enlightenment in this very life, and be rewarded with unending prosperity and eternal happiness.
After the screening, an interactive panel discussion consisted of five panelists was set to move the discussion. The film is didactic and motivated the spectators to have an introspective outlook to mirror each one’s soul. The five consists of: Dr. Sreeradha Datta, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIS); Professor Sarah Hilaly, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar; Professor Sajal Nag, Assam University Tezpur; Dr. Dhrubajyoti Bahttacharjee, Indian Council of World affairs (ICWA); Dr Abhijeet Choudhury, Retired Head of Department (History), St Edmund’s College, Shillong.
