Abstract
To the North Eastern Region (NER) of India, lie the unexplored states of the Indian Union. This region holds a unique place in the federal structure of India. This article attempts to scrutinise the diversity of NER, along with the potential of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) as a medium to change, uplift and assimilate it with pan India. The article aims to comprehend how NER can accommodate the regional identities and cultural affinities with Indian mainstream identity through the intervention of NCC at college and university level. The methodology of this article is based on secondary resources such as published books, journals, web pages, reports, newspapers and online sources. The article is analytical and descriptive in nature based on thematic approach.
Keywords
Introduction
India is a land of diversity of languages, cultures, ethnicities and religions. North Eastern Region (NER) of India depicts the diversity of India on a smaller scale. Post-independence, the region has gone through various ups and downs. This leads to a lot of challenges at some stage in governance. The time has come now to retrospect and work to unite the region in the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’; work with the motto to discipline and educate the youth to develop leadership qualities to achieve it through National Cadet Corps (NCC). 1 The role of NCC becomes pivotal in undertaking various activities which aid and equip the administration to achieve community development programmes.
In the past, the Government of India had used the Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 2 during times of crisis such as external emergencies during the Indo-China War in 1962, India-–Pakistan War and creation of Bangladesh 1971, and so on. Likewise, NCC can become a flagship institution to propagate and impart the values, democratic ethos and sense of security among the youth during peacetime and serve the nation during war time. The article in the first phase discusses the geo-political significance, ethnicity, history and contemporary situation, followed by challenges faced by the youth in NER, such as identity, issues related to development, employment and assimilation to mainstream India, and others. The second part of the article discusses how NCC has successfully contributed to various aspects in achieving ‘unity and discipline’ in the region through its activities at college and university level in strengthening national integration.
History of NER
During British era, this region was referred to as North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA). To enter the region, Inner Line Permit (ILP) was required. These states of Northeast 3 were later assimilated to the Union of India in various phases. They were granted autonomy by Article 371(A) and 371(G), enshrined in the Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution. In multiple historical junctures, various different cultures became a part of this region, including Austro-Asiatic, Dravidian, Alpine, Indo-Mongolians, Tibetan–Burmese and Aryan, and so on (Borah, 2015). Along with assimilation and migration of people, NER is narrowly connected to the rest of India through a tiny corridor (of width of 23 km) called the ‘Siliguri Corridor’ or ‘chicken’s neck’. This stretch is also separated by ILP, which itself creates a psychological separation between the people living in mainstream India and NER.
Ethnicity
The region is filled with diverse linguistic, religious, sectarian differences and primordial practices. Common identity does not exist among people of the Northeast. It is one of the most diverse and heterogeneous parts of India. If we note, Chakma and Magh tribes are Buddhist, but they speak the Sak Language. The Karbi of the Karbi Anglong district is an interesting tribe; they neither speak Karbi nor Angola but speak a language which is a mixture of Austric and Bodo. The Bodo Movement, being the longest social movement in the plains of Assam, demanded the Bodo language to be the medium of instruction at secondary level. With the creation of Bodo Autonomous Council (BAC) in 1993, things came to a standstill. The Naga people were demanding a separate independent state to protect their ‘unique Naga way of life’ from the British Empire since the 1950s. These people around NER wanted to create a greater ‘Nagalim’ or independent state out of Indian union (Moral, 1994).
This movement is still going on in the Indo-Myanmar border region. According to Sengupta, (2003), Naga people ‘trace their ancestry from north-west China and north-east Tibet but seem to have reached their present habitat by southern routes, driven by Lushai-Kuki tribes’. Tripura also has various tribes like Tripuris, Desi Tripuris, Jamatia, and migrants from Burma, Riangs (Table 1). They are closely related to Austro-Asiatic family of languages. Manipur is highly polarised by the Meiteis tribe who practise Hinduism and indigenous Manipuri; Naga and Kuki live in the plain belt.
State-wise Number of Tribes and Languages Spoken in NER
Hence, the region is inhabited with a variety of tribes, puzzling in their ethnicity, culture, primordial practices and folklore. The ethnic groups are genetically diverse and heterogeneous in their customs and traditions. They practice their own religious customs, rituals, which are sharply different than that of mainstream Indian culture. They have their traditional gods and goddesses and liberal tradition of Animism. This type of identity itself creates estrangement among the youth to assimilate into the national mainstream culture. The inter-group ethnic conflicts, intolerance and sporadic violence end up with frequent ‘public curfews’. Blockades and protests are becoming the common culture of NER.
Geopolitics
The eight Northeast states of India (Figure 1) cover the area of 262,500 km (8% of the Indian land mass), with a population of around 45.6 million of various ethnic groups. The region is endowed with rich natural resources (De & Singh, 2017), with agriculture as the principal source of revenue. NER of India can be referred to as ‘mini India’ or mosaic India. This region is very often misunderstood as a homogenous unit, but it is full of cultural and ethnic diversity (Ngaihte & Hanghal, 2017) rightly described the diversity of the region as an entity, with distinct taste and colour and exemplified it as ‘Salad bowl’. There is diversity between people in the plains and tribals; insider and outsiders; people with Mongoloid and other features like Burmese and Tibetan, tribal groups, plain people and indigenous people, and so on. Ethnic identity is the main issue around which most politics of the region revolves. On the basis of the primordial, racial, tribal, religious, linguistic differences the groups are demanding autonomy and aspiring to create their own state.
Unlike other parts of the country, NER holds an important position from a strategic point of view as these states share their 90 per cent borders with countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and China (Ngaihte & Hanghal, 2017). The area is endowed with rich resources of land, water, forests, minerals and others, and perched at the confluence of countries such as China and Tibet in the north, Myanmar in the east and Bangladesh in the west. Along with a difficult geographical terrain, the socio-economic position is also very fragile because of frequent external interference. It is being said that the strategic location of the Northeast has added more complexity to the region and outlined the game plan of China. The game plan of China for power (with the support of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma) has always been the core of continuous support to the northeast rebel group. The highly porous international border had helped the insurgent groups to build trans-border linkages and get back from neighbouring countries. The illegal migrants across the border have created the fear among the indigenous tribes of losing their land culture and identity. The frequent violence and trans-border militancy create instability in the region which leads to the psychological aloofness among the youth regarding the government.
NCC in Nation-Building
NCC is the largest uniformed organisation of youth volunteers in the world, committed to empowering them for playing a vital role in nation-building. It is a tri-services organisation composed of the Armed Forces, Naval and Air Force wings that operates under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, and is headquartered in New Delhi. All school and college students can enrol for NCC. 4
NCC came into being on 15 July 1948 by an Act of Parliament with an initial strength of 20,000 cadets. Today, it boasts of strength of over 14 lakh cadets belonging to at least 16,288 institutions. It has a nation-wide footprint; with cadets enrolled from even the most remote corners of India, such as Ukhrul, Manipur and Aizawl, Mizoram in the East to Bhuj, Gujarat in the West; from Leh, Jammu and Kashmir in the North to Kovilpatti, Tamil Nadu in the South.
During the wars of 1965 and 1971, the cadets were the second line of defence, assisting ordnance factories, supplying arms to the frontline and helping capture enemy paratroopers. 5 After the wars, the emphasis on training of NCC cadets shifted from military operations to civilian duties (relief and rescue operations, traffic control, etc.), social service and youth management. According to Lt Gen Chopra, DG of NCC Directorate, the training philosophy of NCC cadets has been suitably refined to accommodate the changing aspirations of the youth and expectations of the society. 6 Today, its training programmes aim to groom young women and men into well-balanced, patriotic and responsible citizens by developing their leadership skills and comradeship. The cadets are also trained in enhancing soft skills and personality. NCC takes pride in helping the disadvantaged sections of society by making them aware of their aspirations, thereby contributing towards both equity and development. They are encouraged to provide value-based contributions towards society in terms of social and community development.
NCC has offered the services of its cadets under its ‘Exercise NCC Yogdan’ initiative to civilian authorities for tackling the COVID-19 outbreak in India and has issued guidelines for their employment in tasks such as manning helplines, distributing medicines and relief material, community assistance and data management. 7 True to its motto ‘Unity and Discipline’, NCC plays a vital role in nation-building and promoting social cohesion by instilling timeless values of self-discipline, brotherhood, acceptance and selfless social service in its cadets.
The Unique Potential of NCC
The youth of a nation are its biggest strength, and India is blessed with an abundance of this resource. Approximately 60 per cent of the Indian population consists of young persons who are in the most productive, healthy and energetic stage of life. In fact, it is the world’s largest population of the young. If the youth are suitably trained by NCC, it would probably go a long way in helping unify the people of this vast and diverse nation. Disciplined youth are a gift to any nation, and NCC nurtures healthy ideals in them. Well-trained youth can empower any nation. Hence, the work of NCC becomes very crucial and central.
The ideals of ‘Unity and Discipline’ (the motto of NCC) have a significant meaning in the training of cadets (Figure 2). Discipline means doing one’s work with consistency and firmness and unity means oneness.
Discipline is known to bring structure and stability into people’s lives. It teaches them to be mentally tough, responsible, considerate and respectful. It promotes good human behaviour and makes community living enjoyable and easy to negotiate. Restraint in the use of words and actions is an important prerequisite for leaders of men. It is well-known that NCC rigorously trains its cadets in a regimented and self-restrained way of life.
Oneness simply translates into harmonious coexistence. It is manifested by loving all equally and valuing all the same, regardless of differences in appearance, place of origin, race, colour of skin, language, religion, background, caste, socio-economic status, political leanings, and so on. No one is to be treated differently. We as citizens of India are one, irrespective of such differences that are only skin-deep and inconsequential. The only identity that matters is being Indian, which helps a nation in its proper integration. NCC grooms such ideals in youth democratically, which means it allows cadets to use their human faculty of reasoning and then allows them to accept things as they want to. Such character-building trains NCC cadets to look past the differences and wholeheartedly embrace/accept the uniqueness and inherent human nature of one another with open arms.
NCC Camps: Tools for Training of Cadets
Most of the training of NCC cadets happens at national and regional camps, drawing participation from different parts of the country. These are residential in nature and help promote harmony and acceptance. During these camps, cadets are encouraged to learn more about different cultural and social habits of the various regions of the country. As these camps bring together cadets from all over India, the participants get to know more about their counterparts from other regions. India is a land of unity in diversity, therefore having different facial features or skin colour does not mean that the other person is not Indian, NCC helps in promoting these ideals. NCC also makes the cadets aware of all the existing cultural and social diversity by its sociocultural curriculum. NCC training in this way helps in learning and respecting diversity in our motherland in its entirety. In many camps, students and cadets are asked to represent different cultures. Such activities encourage them to learn more about various social and cultural practices of India.
Cadets exchange different ideas and philosophy and improve their social awareness. Exchange of ideas, food, culture, values, beliefs and so on enables them to genuinely appreciate the rich cultural heritage of India. As the cadets perform various tasks together in heterogeneous teams, they learn to accept and rely on one another. Many camps lead to the forging of enduring, life-long bonds of brotherhood and friendship. Such regular exchanges between youth of the mainland and the Northeast will definitely go a long way in reducing tension between the two regions and drawing them closer.
Camps such as Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat (National Integration Camp) and the Republic Day Camp ensure a good platform where cadets from various regions come and live together. These camps happen once in a year but play a crucial role in maintaining integrity and peace of the nation. The primary aim of camp training is to expose the cadets to a regimented way of life.
Apart from camps, Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) have been signed with ten countries for Youth Exchange Programs (YEP). However, to give the cadets a wider exposure, YEPs with seven more countries are in an advanced stage of approval.
Integrating Northeast with India
The issue of integration is reciprocal in nature. The people of mainland India perceive the people of the Northeast as outsider or foreigner. Many people from the Northeast who reside in or have travelled to the mainland report different degrees of stereotyping and racial discrimination. Hence, the motive of integration cannot be fulfilled by working only on one side of a problem. For this, one needs to understand and tackle both aspects of the issue. This is where the role of NCC becomes crucial. NCC has the innate requisite ability and structure to work on both aspects of the problem and help to build a more aware and inclusive society. It can bring together and train youth from all over India by creating awareness about this far-flung yet integral part of India and its unique and rich cultural heritage.
Northeast Youth in NCC
In the Northeast states of India, more than 89,000 cadets are enrolled despite the prevailing security situation and difficult terrain, indicating willingness of the people of the NE to contribute towards the process of nation-building and their burning desire to be an integral part of mainland India.8 Being a government scheme, NCC was initially introduced in government schools, which showed poor enrollment status. However, a little push from the government lead to its approval and implementation in government-aided schools as well. This has been achieved over a period of last 10–15 years.
This year, 120 cadets from the Northeast participated in the Republic Day Parade. Under the umbrella of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’, two camps are organised in Northeast India, with 400 cadets being invited from other parts of India. Other than these camps, cadets are also sent to national-level camps like the Special National Integration Camps, National Integration Camps, the Thal-Yavu-Army Sena Camp, Leadership Camps and so on where they meet and interact with other cadets from all states and union territories.
There are 108 districts in NER, of which, only 6–7 districts do not have the presence of NCC, according to Lt General Vashisht. 9 NCC has been introduced in border area schools and colleges in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Manipur. It was also recently started at a remote town Anini in Arunachal Pradesh very near to the China border.
Linguistic Diversity of the Northeast: No Barrier for NCC Cadets
With approximately 220 languages and dialects, Northeast India is one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse regions of the world (see Figure 3). This rich diversity is attributed to the large number of indigenous tribes and communities inhabiting this region. Most of the languages and dialects are not recognised either as national or official state languages. With less than 10,000 indigenous users, most are actually classified as endangered languages. English happens to be the most widely used language of this region, in as many as five states (Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura). The other official languages include Assamiya, Bengali, Bodo, Mizo, Manipuri, Meitei, Kokborok and the associated official languages, Garo and Khasi. Hindi is the most popular lingua franca in Arunachal Pradesh, while the Nagamese Creole is extensively used in Nagaland. Northeast India boasts of an admirably high literacy rate ranging from 72.6 per cent to 93.3 per cent, with most people being able to effectively communicate in at least three languages namely English, Hindi and at least one indigenous language. Most NCC cadets from the Northeast are well-versed in both the official languages of India (Hindi and English) and face no difficulty in sharing ideas, experiences and views with fellow cadets hailing from other parts of the country. Thus, both the official languages of India have the potential to act as bridges for building connections between the people of this region and the mainland and should be harnessed to promote national integration.
NCC and Social Outreach
In keeping with its modern mandate, NCC undertakes various social service activities that aid the administration in the time of calamities, preservation of environment and ecology, blood donation camps, literacy programmes, construction and cleanliness drive and provides youth of the country an effective direction towards self-improvement and community services as well. Cadets participate in various educational and society welfare programmes such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, awareness programmes on ill effects of drugs and AIDS, anti-malaria drive and so on. 10 By engaging themselves in community service, they work like ambassadors to spread awareness about different policies/welfare schemes by the government like MGNREGA, Ujjwala and PM Awas Yojana to name a few.
Aimless and directionless youth can be lured into traps which is highly detrimental to national interest. NCC plays a vital role not only in giving directions but also using their full potential for the benefit of the society. It contributes substantially in moulding youth and in ensuring increased subscription to the armed forces or the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). Despite remoteness of some areas, security situation and difficult terrain, NCC aims to reach out to more and more people in the Northeast and do more things that help them become better citizens of the country and make them leaders of tomorrow.
Educated Youth: Promoting Employability
The Northeast is facing a problem of socio-economic development, national integration and acceptance by other parts of India. Education is one of the most crucial indices of socio-economic development. It can be regarded as a facilitator for growth for any society. Higher education helps bridge the knowledge gap between states and communities by facilitating dialogues between people and an exchange of ideas and research. Literacy rate in Northeast states is 78 per cent which is much higher than most of mainland India (Boruah, 2018; Konwar & Chakraborty, 2012). An educated and confident NCC cadet would be more willing to explore other parts of India which in return brings openness and promotes cultural exchange.
Employment is considered a powerful tool for social inclusion, social engagement and social empowerment (Elangbam, 2016; Tripathi, 2016). The extent to which people can take part in the development process is closely associated with the issue of employment. The Northeast region of India is a place of fewer opportunities, much economic uncertainty and widespread unemployment. Approximately 10 per cent of the Northeast population is unemployed, with the rate of unemployment more acute in urban than rural areas and in the case of females as compared to the males.
With NCC, youth are better prepared for employment. Apart from training all cadets to be excellent, sincere and dedicated team players, NCC also hones their leadership potential and tremendously enhances their soft skills. Thus, the NCC cadets are known for their well-rounded personalities and are highly sought after by potential employers. Besides, the cadets are awarded certificates (A, B and C) on the basis of their proficiency. Their employment opportunities increase manifold as they are given preference in many government jobs. NCC cadets are confident enough to take challenges and are mentally ready to venture into and settle in any part of the country.
It is an unsavoury truth that unemployment has pushed many youths of Northeast India towards terrorism. Being a part of such an arrangement has become an easy source of income for the youngsters. They terrorise local civilians and seek ransom from them. Motivation to join NCC will not only reduce local terrorism but also encourage the youth to become better citizens who make positive and valuable contributions towards society.
The main occupation of the Northeast region is farming and business. Entrepreneurship can be a constructive solution to the unemployment in the northeast region. The entrepreneurial mindset is not stimulated enough among most of the indigenous people of the area. The area needs a push from external agents in this regard. This would initially need a strong stimulus from the government and NGOs. Micro-finance credit and appropriate training hold the key. This kind of forward-moving initiative will empower a lot of people and may boost morale for the rest. Efficient implementation of the self-help group model, with further modifications on need and situation basis, are expected to deliver positive results. Often development models given to them lack integrated vision as they sometimes contradict the local customs and traditional practices and fail to address their perceived fears. There may be disconnect between the policymakers and the ground realities as the policymakers lack proper understanding of the society, culture and polity of the Northeast. An NCC-trained cadet is well-equipped to wear the hat of an entrepreneur.
Role of NCC in Promoting Tourism
In this era of globalisation, tourism is one of the most important aspect for economic and socio-cultural development. Tourism requires strategic planning and investment. It can benefit not just the Northeast states but the entire country to promote an ‘Incredible India’. NER is blessed by nature, and it carries the world’s richest biodiversity. It is the treasure house of various economic resources and rich flora and fauna. It has a rich cultural heritage that can easily promote eco-tourism. The wildlife sanctuaries at various places of Northeast India can attract the tourists all over the world. In addition to it, tea and golf tourism of NER also attract tourists from all over the world. The hilly mountain terrains, clean and clear atmosphere, if popularised among youth, could be best proved as heaven in India.
The North Eastern Council (Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, 2015) has prepared the development of tourism related infrastructure in NER. This includes the creation of the Northeast Tourism Development fund of ₹2 crore (Saha, 2015). This resource can be used for preparing project profiles to set up budget hotels in all Northeast states, which will attract tourists all through the seasons. Therefore, tourism is another area which, if worked strategically, can benefit not just the Northeast states but the entire country. NCC can be an instrument in spreading awareness and breaking misconceptions about this region. Tourism can only flourish in peaceful times. NCC can act as a mediator between the two and spread the idea of trust and cooperation among local people.
Developmental and Strategic Aspects
North Eastern Region (NER) is rich in natural resources with a high potential of becoming a developed part of India. Despite that, natural economic resources are not sufficient. Unless the resources are fully utilised or exploited they cannot generate further resources like employment, skill upgradation and other opportunities. NER has a history of poor infrastructure and road connectivity within India due to hilly terrain and sporadic violence, leading towards underdevelopment.
Agriculture and related activities are the main source of livelihood in the Northeast region. The method of agriculture is still traditional, based on Jhum (shift cultivation) cultivation which produces only 1.5 per cent of the country’s food grain production. It is completely dependent on rainfall or on natural irrigation. The ‘green revolution’ had no impact here compared to other states such as Haryana, Punjab and others. The main reasons for this, could be poor infrastructural connectivity and lack of marketing strategies of agricultural and related products. Due to non-availability of facilities such as cold storage or warehousing, fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables, when reach the market, they turn out to be stale ones. Creation of infrastructure related to marketing and distribution of organic products around mainstream India can be in the forefront of government initiative now.
Marketing and advertising of organic clothing such as muga, paat silk, endi, and woodcarving, carpentry, metal work, pottery, weaving can be encouraged to showcase Northeast Indian culture and heritage. Agriculture and marketing of tea, organic and herbal production may strengthen the economic output along with new job creation. The concepts like ‘Hunar Haat’, regional- and national-level mela can be productive to assimilate and accommodate various cultural art and crafts from this region. The law and order and logistic facilities can be provided by NCC to facilitate these programmes.
However, lack of awareness and opportunities other than government jobs lead to tough competition among youth. Here, NCC can spread awareness regarding various policies of government like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS); Ujjwala, free cooking gas connection; PM Awas Yojna, PM Jan Dhan Yojna, PM Sukanya Samridhi Yojna and so on.
All the NER states have great tourist potential with a number of beautiful places. Eco-tourism can be the most vital employment generating programme. As pollution and congestion is growing in the big cities of North India, hospitality and hotel business can prosper with governmental intervention. With the help of NCC, these places can be brought to attention by students among youth. The young students can have a yearly visit to various places, such as Loktak Lake, Kaziranga Biodiversity Park, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Kamkhya Temple in Assam, every year to celebrate various national festivals which may lessen the gap between mainstream and NER youth. The biodiversity of NER can be used as a research area for young botanists and zoologists.
National and regional film industries can be encouraged to shoot in NER so that this region could generate some revenue and job opportunities. If most funds are directed towards health, education, infrastructure and employment generation then, Northeast youth would be less aloof from mainstream India. Promoting individuals from NER, such as Mary Kom, Bhaichung Bhutia and Dipa Karmakar, may inspire youth to participate in sports and inculcate the spirit of national pride among them. Athletes from NER should be promoted as youth icons or brand ambassadors of various national sports and sporting events. By this type of initiatives, Indian government can promote ‘we feeling’ and reduce antagonism against Northeast people.
On strategic aspects, citizens of the Northeast have a perception that the mainland looks at this region through the prism of territorial security rather than socio-economic development. They feel that China’s growing influence and cross-border terrorism along the Myanmar and Bangladesh borders are the main factors drawing attention towards this region. The assumption is that the mainland wishes to merely protect its territorial integrity and does not have either the will to actually focus on the needs of the local people or the sincerity to bring socio-economic development to this region.
Lack of trust on leadership further fuels their psychological fear of losing their identity due to immigration, not just of refugees from neighbouring countries but also due to the influx of ‘outsiders’ from other parts of India. Some of the highly educated tribal leaders and thinkers too do not support rapid industrialisation as they fear that it will bring outsiders into their states, which will disturb their social structures and cultural practices.
At this juncture, NCC can propagate the idea of national integration, maintenance of sovereignty and territorial integrity among our youth living in the nearby bordering areas. They can promote the diverse culture and tradition of Indian union. During the student exchange programmes, cadets would gain experience of living together, cooperating with each other and may share their experience with each other, thus understanding diversity, discipline and thereby strengthening the unity. Being the backbone of nation, youth from BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar Economic Corridor) can participate together to maintain peace and harmony in the strategic bordering regions.
Conclusion
The great nationwide network of NCC can inculcate discipline and strengthen the unity among the youth of Northeast states of India. It can strengthen togetherness and nationalism through camps and exchange programmes, exposing the youth of India to the various cultures of the Northeast. When the cadets develop trust and faith towards each other, they would narrate a picture of better and united India. In the near future, the NCC cadets may eradicate economic strife, local ethnic violence and regional underdevelopment which remain the main challenge of governance in the region today.
By bringing together the youth of the mainland and the Northeast in their camps and encourage them to forge ties based on mutual respect, acceptance and brotherhood, NCC is capable of building bridges of trust and dissipate the feelings of misunderstanding and suspicion. In this manner, NCC will continue to promote various nation-building programmes such as Digital India, Swachh Bharat, Vttiya Saksharta Abhiyaan and strengthen the idea of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.
Footnotes
Acknowledgements
Our sincere thanks to our colleagues Dr Rakesh K. Gupta, Dr Salome John and Dr Shakti P. Rout for giving valuable inputs and helping us to improvise the article.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.
Funding
This research received a grant from the Indian Council of Social Science Research [IMPRESS/P3963/06/2018-19/ICSSR].