They also rise

When somebody mentions the word India what do you think of ? Do you think of an individual with Aryan or Dravidian features tilling away in lush green fields or of a modern outward looking denizen of the metros of Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore ? Wait a minute ... does the image of an individual with Mongoloid features living in bamboo huts in the hills among the clouds .. or of a group of young men and women heavily influenced by Western Music and evangelical Christianity ever come to your mind ?
It has been a quiet revolution.. The Seven Sisters of India have been in the grip of militancy since India gained independence. With only 25 out of 543 seats in the Lok Sabha they do not have the numbers that would bring the Masters of Delhi to their state more often. With only 21 km of border shared with the rest of India via the chicken's neck one wonders how they have integrated into the Indian state. Yet, these diminutive men and women have produced great sportsmen ( how many of us know that Manipur won the last National Games ? ) .. they give us the finest teas and handicrafts and also great soldiers...

The North East has always been known for its high literacy figures and a large chuck of an English speaking population. In the era of liberalization where a number of companies require people fluent in English these men and women are rising to the occasion. They are taking over the hospitality sector , BPO's and now the newsrooms. Their persistence and hard work is certainly paying off ..
And it will not be long before the scourge of militancy is wiped out by the prosperity that these youngsters shall bring to their state.