Shillong, May 15: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday announced a major research initiative to trace the roots and origins of the state’s diverse tribal communities. The announcement came during the inaugural session of a two-day national seminar titled “His Footprints in Time: Trailblazers of Meghalaya in the Making of Modern India,” held at Synod College, Shillong, as part of its Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
The research project, to be undertaken by a special team under the Department of Arts and Culture, will involve in-depth studies within India and abroad. “A detailed programme will be finalised in the next two to three months,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the initiative is aimed at preserving and strengthening the cultural identity of Meghalaya’s indigenous communities.
In his keynote address, Sangma praised the Centre for Historical Research, Synod College (CHRSC), calling the seminar “a timely intervention to preserve, document, and celebrate the stories of Meghalaya’s unsung heroes and pioneering minds.” He stressed the importance of local narratives in shaping India’s pluralistic identity.
The inaugural session also featured Dr. Wanwei Roy Kharlukhi, Rajya Sabha MP, as Guest of Honour. Dr. Gayreen Lyngdoh, Principal of Synod College, delivered the welcome address, while Dr. David Arnold Kharchandy, Secretary of CHRSC, introduced the seminar’s objectives.
A special felicitation ceremony recognised individuals and families for their contributions to education, politics, literature, social reform, indigenous knowledge, and theology. Their legacies are now part of the expanding CHRSC archive.
Over 35 papers are being presented across four technical sessions during the seminar. Highlights include tributes to Dr. Phervision Nongtdu (educationist), Rev. Shai Rabooh Manar (spiritual leader), B.M. Pugh (tribal reformer), Prof. A.K. Nongkynrih (academic), and Hally War (indigenous engineer behind the Umkar Root Bridge).
Other presentations celebrated the legacies of Rev. J.J.M. Nichols-Roy (legal reformer), Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih (literary icon), Dr. Donkupar Roy and Prof. G.G. Swell (political leaders), and Brian D. Kharpran Daly (cave explorer).
The seminar also honoured Kargil martyr Captain Clifford Nongrum, folk musician Skendrowell Syiemlieh, and missionary Rev. Dr. Amos C. Moore.
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