India’s North Eastern region is a gateway to South –East Asia. Owing to its strategic geo-political importance in the Indian sub-continent, the areas has attracted over the years, specialists from different fields especially sociologists and anthropologists. Earlier, Christian missionaries and scholarly-oriented British administrators also tried to project through their writings, the traditional life styles, customs, rituals, religious beliefs, etc. of this region. Undoubtedly, the North-Eastern region still poses challenges as well as vast scope for study in its multifarious facets.

Vinod Kumar Rawat is Associate Fellow Varanasi. He has a PhD from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, with specialization in Women empowerment. He has published many articles in journals and chapters in books. His main research areas are urbanization, poverty, health, social exclusion and social protection programmes.