Letter From The Editor

November 2014

Greetings Dear Readers, 

With the winter knocking at our doors, coffee houses will once again become a favourite hang-out spot with the Gen-Next. To a steaming cup of coffee add the delight of a football match and life just can’t get any better, at least for the ardent fans in Northeast India. It is indeed heartening to see the football frenzy grip the rest of the nation too. It is expected to provide a platform to the budding talents and inspire many more. In this issue we bring to you the complete in and out of the first ever Indian Super League from the perspective of the region. 

Child Rights activist Kailash Satyarthi has been instrumental in creating awareness in the society for decades now. His felicitation with the Nobel Peace Prize is a befitting reward for his incessant efforts to uplift the dismal condition of children in several parts of the world. A true global citizen, our heartiest congratulations to this selfless soul and his compassionate service to humanity. Let us all join hands in this noble task. Another social responsibility that we must take upon ourselves is the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by our respected Prime Minister. We commend his vision and pledge to make it a cleaner India.

In addition to a Clean India, our focus needs to be on a more Peaceful India. The recent assault in some metro cities based on ethnic divisions calls for some serious introspection. Why the alienation? We, as a nation, are proud to boast of such a wide range of diversity. It is high time we bridged the differences and learned to celebrate the uniqueness of each tribe. After all, the purpose of each culture is to make us more civil and tolerant. 

An immediate cause for concern is the ambiguous attitude of China regarding its political stance with India. On one hand it promises extensive trade relations while on the other it raises objections in India’s internal matters. Its apprehension regarding India’s initiative for infrastructure development along the Sino-India border makes one doubt its intentions. Good news on the friendly neighbour front comes from Bangladesh which is opening up new avenues to strengthen its relations with India in general and the Northeast in particular. Easy connectivity and uncomplicated trade norms is bound to help the local products from Northeast India find a global market. 

This issue also brings to the forefront the little attention given to the Tourism sector in a potential-filled state like Meghalaya. There is a lot to be learned from the heritage state of Odisha in this respect. Proper advertisement and development of local attractions into welcoming tourist destinations must be prioritized. In contrast to the degrading wetland of Deepor Beel in Assam, we need to step up on preservation of our forest resources by taking a page out of the Self Help Groups operating in and around the Manas National Park. On the birth anniversary of Chacha Nehru I wish the childin each one of us a very Happy Children’s Day! 

Dr. K.K. Jhunjhunwala