MODI’S NORTHEAST STORY

A one-of-its-kind anthology that documents the transformation of India’s northeastern states since 2014. India’s northeastern states bore the brunt of the horribly miscalculated 1962 war with China, which resulted in many problems. Whileosing territory to China was one of them, the deep-rooted emotional scars and alienation of the northeastern states due to repeated neglect by successive central governments was tougher to heal. After Prime Minister (PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had made an earnest attempt to bridge the divide between the Northeast and the rest of India during his tenure, PM Narendra Modi was the first to take the task of uplifting the Northeast with a rare visionary zeal with his Act East Policy. Ten yearsater, the results are all too visible. Seamless road connectivity, umpteen new airports and vast swathes of new railway tracks across hitherto unconnected areas have changed the way one travels across the Northeast. The massive dip in insurgency and resolution of inter-state conflicts have created an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity, resulting in unprecedented tourist footfall and an upswing in theocal economy. This transformation ought to be witnessed personally to understand what political willpower can achieve. Modi’s Northeast Story brings together contributors who have been at the forefront of ushering in this change or have witnessed it unfolding from very close quarters