GUWAHATI Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday (April 13, 2025) inaugurated the first robotic surgery facility of the northeast at the State Cancer Institute of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. He said the robotic surgery unit, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment for better cancer care in the region, struck the right note for the … Read more
Congress legislators stage a protest at the premises of the Assam Legislative Assembly complex in Guwahati. File photo | Photo Credit: ANI The Assam Assembly on Monday (March 24, 2025) witnessed an uproarious situation with the ruling party alleging that Deputy Speaker Numal Momin was attacked by Congress MLA Nurul Huda just outside the House, … Read more
I grew up in Guwahati in the 1990s, a time when Assam rarely made it to national conversations, let alone global news. It was often defined by insurgency, bandhs, and a sense of isolation — both geographical and cultural. Yet, life carried on in its own unhurried rhythm. Rainy mornings smelled of petrichor, afternoons were reserved … Read more
It is a busy weekday afternoon at Meitei Chakluk Manipuri Rice Hotel. Bidya Devi is preparing thalis. Bowls of ooti (mashed pea curry), eromba (a fermented fish-based dish), kangshoi (vegetable stew), atoiba (fish stew), singju (a perilla seed-based mix salad), and hawai (Manipuri dal), among other dishes, make up the plate. Fish is a staple in most Manipuri meals, but for her thali, Bidya ensures there are “less fishy” options … Read more
There was a reason why the British invested in a 65-km railway track from Dibrugarh to Margherita in the early 1880s, less than two decades after Asia’s first oil well was drilled at the nearby Digboi town. The track helped transport coal, tea, and timber from Margherita and stations en route to the Brahmaputra River … Read more
The Odisha state government, under the leadership of the Bharatiya Janta Party, has introduced a scheme to provide a monthly pension of Rs 20,000 to individuals who were detained during the Emergency period between 1975 and 1977. This pension will also cover medical expenses for eligible recipients who are still alive as of January 1, … Read more
A mob on Saturday stormed and destroyed a makeshift camp of Assam Rifles in Manipur’s Kamjong district over alleged harassment and restrictions on transportation of timber, officials said. Members of the group that attacked the camp in Hongbei area belonged to Kasom Khullen block of the Naga majority district. Tensions escalated on Saturday when the … Read more
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. | Photo Credit: ANI The Assam government is actively negotiating with the Defence Ministry for the declaration of areas adjoining Guwahati towards Nagaon as a defence corridor, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said here on Tuesday (January 7, 2024). Mr. Sarma made these remarks after holding a roadshow and … Read more
What does bamboo remind you of? In cities today, its use is mostly restricted to outdoor furniture or for temporary structures like pavilions and gazebos. It is perceived as not as strong and durable as more ‘permanent’ forms of building. But if you’ve been to north-east India, you may encounter bamboo structures that are as … Read more
The Paris peacock (Papilio paris) is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in India’s northeast. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement The overexploitation of 25 species of host plants valued for their medicinal properties threatens the swallowtail butterflies in the forest habitats of a part of Assam often referred to as the “citrus belt of the … Read more