In August 1947, as India took the final steps towards becoming an independent nation, numerous actors thronged the chessboard in the northeast of the country, contemplating their moves. Among them was the Governor of Assam, Sir Muhammad Saleh Akbar Hydari, who initiated talks with the respective princely states and ethnic dominions of the northeast, including the Naga Hills, Khasi Hills and Mizo Hills.

Tracing various documents and correspondences, reporter and author Josy Joseph reconstructs the history of how the northeast states — present-day Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur — were stitched into the fabric of the new nation.

Listen to Ep 5 - The Northeast on The India Project with Josy Joseph in conversation with Seetal Iyer.

Acknowledgements:

Thanks to Confluence Media for the Letters in this episode.

Muhammad Saleh Akbar Hydari Letter to Pt. Nehru performed by Ranvijay Pratap Singh

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s speech - Tryst with Destiny https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrEkYscgbqE&t=58s

Audio used from: https://ncaa.gov.in/repository/search/displaySearchRecordPreview/IGRMS-MINI_DV_1081-MDV/Nagaland-Tour-(Vol.-X)

https://ncaa.gov.in/repository/search/displaySearchRecordPreview/CVI-SUR_R_4470-UMLB/Bamboo-Dance-of-Mizoram

https://ncaa.gov.in/repository/search/displaySearchRecordPreview/CVI-SUR_R_1489-UMHB/Lifestyle-of-Khasi-Community-(Vol.-V)

Tripura folk song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEVDCrEIRIk

Credits:

Akshay Ramuhalli, Beej, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi and Velu Shankar