Shillong, Jan 16: The Meghalaya government has launched a public outreach drive to trace and authenticate the descendants of members of the Garo Labour Corps, who served overseas during World War I (1917–1918) as part of India’s contribution to the British war effort.

The initiative is being led by the Research Committee for the Preservation of Garo Cultural Heritage under the state’s Department of Arts and Culture, which has issued a Public Lookout Notice seeking information from families, village authorities, churches, and community institutions across the Garo Hills.

Officials said the exercise aims to address long-standing gaps in colonial-era records, which have left the identities and family linkages of many Garo Labour Corps members undocumented despite their historical contribution and sacrifice.

According to the notice, the committee is collecting materials such as family names, village details, photographs, letters, certificates, oral histories, and other records that can help establish verified lineage for archival preservation, memorial documentation, and heritage recognition.

Given the wide geographical spread of the Garo population across East, West, North, South and South West Garo Hills, the committee has sought active cooperation from district administrations, including Deputy Commissioners, Block Development Officers, Circle Officers, and village authorities, to facilitate field-level verification and authentication of descendants .

Officials said the district administration’s role will be crucial not only in disseminating the public notice but also in supporting village visits, verification of local records, and documentation of testimonies during the fieldwork phase.

The government has clarified that all information collected will be used strictly for research, archival, and heritage documentation purposes, and that submissions will undergo careful scrutiny before being formally recorded to ensure accuracy and respect for community sentiments.

Also Read: Meghalaya Assembly budget session likely from Feb 16-27, reservation policy report to be tabled

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