Publications

Amid red alert, Assam hunkers down for a spring without Bihu

As a transit for other north-eastern states, and with 1.5-2 million of its people working across the country, Assam was worried about covid-19 from the very beginning. Thus, the state had not only started preparing for the worst by setting up exclusive hospitals and quarantine facilities,

The Indian Express, 28 Feb 2018

Meghalaya elections: 75% voter turnout recorded, EVM malfunctions reported

Around 75 per cent votes were polled in Meghalaya on Tuesday and the Assembly elections were by and large peaceful, Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor said. The election office is awaiting data from remote places in the Garo Hills and East Jaintia Hills districts, he added.

The Indian Express, 27 Feb 2018

Meghalaya Assembly elections: Ruling Congress pins hopes on Opposition divide

For the Congress, ruling Meghalaya for nine years, hopes of retaining power rest on the division of anti-Congress votes three ways, party leaders said ahead of Tuesday’s election. The BJP, which has put in its best effort ever to capture the hill state, did not go for a pre-poll alliance, as it did with regional parties in Assam and Manipur.

The Indian Express, 26 Feb 2018

Meghalaya assembly elections: Two prominent families with 7 nominees, and other electoral clans

The Meghalaya assembly elections have been marked only by a major battle between the ruling Congress and the BJP, which has whipped up a vigorous campaign, but also as a battle for power between two important political families of the state.

The Indian Express, 25 Feb 2028

Meghalaya’s most wanted militant killed in encounter

Sohan D Shira, Meghalaya’s most wanted militant leading the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), was killed in an encounter by state police commandos on Saturday, three days short of voting day in the hill state. A police officer in Shillong said Shira was tracked down at Achakpek, 120 km from Tura,

The Indian Express, 25 Feb 2028

Badruddin Ajmal: Army chief offended us, will meet PM, President

A day after Army chief General Bipin Rawat described the rise of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in Assam as “faster” than the BJP, the party’s president and Lok Sabha member Maulana Badruddin Ajmal on Thursday called it a political statement, and said he would take up the matter with the Prime Minister, Home Minister as well as the President.

The Indian Express, 22 Feb 2018

Off Asian Highway-1, a Meghalaya village in want of a doctor and high school

At 27, Phoida Situng, mother of a four-year-old girl, regrets she could not study beyond primary school because there was no high school in her village. The nearest high school was 3 km away, and her poor parents could not afford to send her there. “But I doubt there will be a high school in our village even when my daughter grows up and passes Class V,” she said.

The Indian Express, 21 Feb 2018

Off Asian Highway-1, a Meghalaya village in want of a doctor and high school

A CROWD barged into a police station at Tezu in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, dragged out two persons held for allegedly raping and killing a girl, and beat them to death. The mob had allegedly entered the police station on Monday and broke the lock-up as armed policemen stood witness, pulled out the two accused,

The Indian Express, 20 Feb 2018

Meghalaya: Rajnath Singh blames Congress for NCP leader’s murder, BJP wants extra forces for polls

A day after NCP candidate for Williamnagar Jonathone Nengminza Sangma (43) was killed in an attack by suspected Garo National Liberation Army in East Garo Hills in Meghalaya, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday described the incident as the worst example of alleged lawlessness under Congress rule in the election-bound state.

The Times Of India, 6 August, 2024

While we wait for new BanglaDress

Bangladesh remains in ferment after Sheikh Hasina’s abrupt departure. In this analysis, we focus on three key aspects. First, the good that Hasina did. Second, the ways Bangladesh politics may evolve in the coming days. Third, what India’s approach should be. Three things Hasina did right | She was seen as the architect of an economically vibrant Bangladesh.

Hindustan Times 01 August, 2024,

The case for including North Bengal in NEC

The integration of North Bengal into the North Eastern Council (NEC), which has gained attention recently, is not a novel concept. It is actually a viable solution that addresses various challenges the people of North Bengal face. The region has long been neglected, with the meagre development in West Bengal so far being Kolkata-centric, and only South Bengal reaping its benefits.

Hindustan Times 01 August, 2024,

Attack could exacerbate tensions in US society

The failed assassination attempt on former US President and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump over the weekend could well be the gamechanger of the 2024 US presidential polls. The picture of Trump with an injured ear, blood streaming down his face but resilient and in fighting spirit — punching the air with a clenched fist — is expected to become the defining image of US politics for some time to come.

The Economic Times, 28 Jun 2024

After fresh initiatives, India ties with Bangladesh are set to scale new heights

Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh. In a short span of ten years, PM Narendra Modi and PM Hasina have achieved more concrete outcomes in the relationship than in the previous 40 years. Little wonder that the two PMs referred to this period in the relationship as a "sonali

The Economic Times, 21 April 2024

Developing an 'Indian Way' for vision of developed India

India's vision for Viksit Bharat could have a profound impact on the international order. The scale of the growth and change being envisaged will also bring India and Indians closer to the world and vice versa.

Hindustan Times, 1 JAN, 2024

Siliguri corridor as a bridge to East Asia

India is a vast and diverse country located within what has been described as the Indian subcontinent. Within the physical expanse of this subcontinent, history and politics, and sometimes, chance, have etched the political boundaries of our country. The same factors have imparted special significance to particular regions. One of these is a narrow strip of land that connects the northeastern states to West Bengal and beyond.

Hindustan Times, 26 FEB, 2023

Greater global growth on India’s G20 agenda

As G20 president, India will focus on increasing trade and investment as key drivers of growth in a world grappling with the devastation brought on by Covid-19 and Ukraine. This is India’s moment India’s presidency of G20 is off to a good start. Around 30 meetings in 20 locations have already taken place. The first meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors was successfully held in Bengaluru,

The Times Of India, 1 Jan, 2024

After four decades in Olive Green, I hang my uniform: Lt. Gen Kalita

One of the most decorated generals of the Indian Army and one of the greatest sons of Assam, Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita, the Eastern Command Army commander, retired on Sunday after more than four decades of service to the nation. The son of a school headmaster in Assam's Tamulpur,

Deccan Chronicle, 28 Dec 2023

Lt Gen Kalita urges ULFA(I) chief Paresh Baruah to return to Assam

Outgoing Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita gave a clarion call on Wednesday to elusive ULFA (I) chief Paresh Baruah and his followers to return to Assam and join the mainstream of the society in view of their rival faction's agreement with the Centre to a peace accord, likely on December 29.

The Hindu, 22 Nov, 2023

Manipur violence will stop if 4,000 looted weapons are recovered: army

The commanding officer of the Army’s Eastern Command on Tuesday said ethnic violence in Manipur will stop after 4,000 firearms looted from security forces in the State are recovered. Speaking to journalists at a programme organised by the Gauhati Press Club, Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita said the Manipur conflict was a “political problem”

The Economic Times, 15 Dec, 2023

Preserving the shared history and camaraderie between India and Bangladesh, nurture bilateral relationship: Eastern Army Commander Lt General Rana Pratap Kalita

Eastern Army Commander Lt General Rana Pratap Kalita on Friday emphasized on the significance of preserving the shared history and camaraderie between India and Bangladesh. He observed that India and Bangladesh share an emotional bonding along with historical and geographical linkages. Kalita was addressing the Mukti Jodhas' (liberation warriors) from Bangladesh and Indian armed forces' veterans of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, on 52nd Vijay

The Hindu, 27 Dec, 2023

India proposes to develop 130 model villages along LAC: Lt. General Kalita

Observing that the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh remains stable but unpredictable, Lt. General Rana Pratap Kalita, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command said on Friday that there was a proposal to develop 130 villages as model villages in areas along that border.

The Daily Guardian, 16 Dec 2022

Lt Gen Kalita breaks silence on India-China Tawang clash

Taking note of the recent border clash between Indian troops and Chinese soldiers General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command, Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita breaks his silence on Friday. Meanwhile, Kalita said, the transgression by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) patrol was “contested firmly”. The flag meeting at a delegation level helped to resolve the matter. The clash between Indian troops and Chinese troops took place in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.

The Deccan Chronicle, 1 Feb, 2022

Lt Gen Kalita takes over as Eastern Army Commander

Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita took over as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army on Tuesday, succeeding Lt Gen Manoj Pande who has become the vice chief of army staff. Lt Gen Kalita assumed office at Fort William after paying homage to the martyrs at Vijay Smarak followed by a guard of honour at Garrison Battalion Parade Ground.

The Hindu, 16 December , 2023

Myanmar instability, weapons with Manipur warring groups have grave implications for State: Kalita

Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita on December 16 said that the availability of a large number of firearms with warring groups in Manipur coupled with instability in neighbouring Myanmar has grave implications for the situation in the strife-torn northeastern State.

Pratidin Time, 11 Jul 2023

Writings of Abhijan Das

Manipur: Why Is Peace Elusive?

The current violence in Manipur started with a Tribal Solidarity March on May 3rd this year, in protest against a Manipur High Court Order on April 19. The order directed the state government to petition the Union government to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the majority Meitei community. The STs, who form about 40% of the state’s population, are a diverse grouping representing 33 groups who either fall under the Kuki or Naga ambit.

The Quint, 11 August 2024

The Rising Tide of Ransomware

The emergence of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) gangs has become a force multiplier. On 31 July, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) issued a press release notifying that C-Edge Technologies Ltd, a technology service provider set up as a joint venture between Tata Consultancy Services Ltd and State Bank of India, was attacked using sophisticated ransomware

The Economic Times, 06 August24

Judge rules Google violated antitrust laws by maintaining its monopoly in search engine market

On Monday, District of Columbia judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google violated antitrust laws by maintaining its monopoly in the search engine market. Mehta found that Google's practice of paying companies like Apple to set it as the default search engine on their devices and browsers constituted an abuse of its dominant position.

Mint, 25 july 2024

Microsoft's Global Outage is a Stark Reminder of Existing Cyber Vulnerabilities

The Indian Express, 20 July 2024

Lesson from global Microsoft outage: Need for greater regulation and accountability

On July 18 and 19, massive outages were observed in Microsoft’s Windows operating system (OS) across the world that caused severe disruptions across critical sectors, including aviation, railways, media broadcasts, banking, stock exchanges and hospitals, as indicated by the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) appearing in those affected systems. The reason being ascribed so far is the malfunction of a software update for the Falcon sensor from the cyber security firm Crowdstrike, deployed at endpoints with Windows OS, which brought the systems down.

The Economic Times, 19 July 2024

As we rely more on software & cloud systems, so does the need to address cyber vulnerabilities

On Friday, massive outages were observed in Microsoft's Windows OS across the world, causing severe disruptions across sectors including aviation, banking, stock exchanges and hospitals after the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) appeared in those impacted systems. BSOD is a blue critical error screen with white text displayed on Windows when the system encounters a fatal error that it cannot safely recover from.

The Indian Express, 01 july 2024

AI and blockchain technology can only be one part of a holistic approach to check exam leakage

Even before the 18th Lok Sabha had convened and the new government had assumed office, a massive controversy erupted around two major entrance examinations conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) — the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), a standardised exam conducted for students seeking admission to undergraduate medical courses (MBBS/BDS) and some postgraduate courses (MD/MS) in both government and private medical colleges,

The Economic Times, 18 june 2024

iCET on the right path

US NSA Jake Sullivan's two-day visit to Delhi, the first official visit from Washington since the new NDA government took office, has turned out to be a productive one. Along with meeting S Jaishankar, Sullivan chaired the second meeting of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), which was launched in January last year, with his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval. At the dialogue, the two 'set the vision for the next

The Economic Times, 26 April 2024

Relax. EVMs are secure, can be more

Supreme Court on Friday rejected a series of petitions that sought a direction for cross-verifying every vote cast on EVMs with paper slips generated by VVPATs (voter-verifiable paper audit trail). The top court's decision upholds the current cross-verification system.

The Economic Times, 26 March 2024

How is Election Commission preparing for the new challenge of the misinformation monster?

While the first three of the 4M challenges outlined by CEC Rajiv Kumar — muscle, money, and model code of conduct violations — have been an issue in all previous elections, the fourth, misinformation, is an emerging one that has gained potency in the last few years with EC and GoI red-flagging it quite regularly. Misinformation is not just an electoral issue in Indian elections.

The Economic Times, 26 November 2024

India can take the lead in advancing global AI governance

On Monday, Joe Biden issued an executive order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.. This order is premised on eight 'guiding principles and priorities' to advance and govern the development and use of AI that intends to establish new standards for,

The Indian Express, 21 October 2023

Hamas attack on Israel: The problem with over relying on technology

Several Western analysts have said that the October 7 attacks on Israel are the country’s 9/11 moment. Closer home, a few observers compare the attacks to the 26/11 terror strikes on Mumbai. Both these comparisons ignore historical contexts. At the same time, it cannot be denied that these attacks were intelligence failures in multiple ways.

The Indian Express, 08 October 2023

Hamas attack on Israel: The problem with over relying on technology

As India remembered the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, on 2 October this year, two technology giants – Microsoft and Google – headed by two successful people of Indian origin, were battling it out in federal court in Washington DC as part of the first antitrust trial in the internet era initiated by the United States Justice Department (against Google). Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, testified quite vehemently against Google.

The Economic Times, 06 October 2023

India Canada Relations: Amid speculations, US maintains strong relations with India

Amid speculation that India's diplomatic fallout with Canada could dent India-US relations, recent developments suggest that India and the US are back to business as usual.

The Quint, 18 August 2023