Crucial battles of World War II fought in India’s northeast; followed soon after by India’s Independence and Partition; had a critical impact on the making of modern Assam. In the three decades following 1947, the state of Assam underwent massive political turmoil, geographical instability, and social and demographic upheaval, among others. Later, the truncated state suffered widespread unrest as various groups believed their cultural identity and political leverage were under threat. New social energies and political forces were unleashed and came to the fore.

This session draws from Arupjyoti Saikia’s The Quest for Modern Assam: A History, 1942-2000 exploring the interconnected layers of political, environmental, economic, and cultural processes that shaped the development of Assam since the 1940s. Arupjyoti Saikia will be in conversation with historian Anjum Hasan deliberating on the questions which played a key role in the making of modern Assam and also that of the Republic of India.

In this episode of BIC Talks, Arupjyoti Saikia will be in conversation with Anjum Hasan .This is an excerpt from a conversation that took place in the BIC premises in February 2025.

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