Author: R D Pradhan
Publisher: Rupa
Year: 2008
Language: English
Pages: 192
ISBN/UPC (if available): 9788129114419
Description
As the first governor of Arunachal Pradesh in 1987-90, the author travelled extensively through the state, interacted with the people and got acquainted with their social and cultural heritage, which he vividly describes in the book. In 1962, he had dealt with issues in the Defence Ministry after the debacle. As the governor, after visting the border areas in the state, he got valuable insight into the border dispute between the two countries.
The author believes that the Dragon’s shadow over Arunachal is an ominous signal. With its growing economic and military prowess, China’s claim over Arunachal should no longer be taken lightly. The border dispute is threatening to become a territorial one. So far as discussions on the issue are concerned, we have been prisoners of our past as inheritors of our northern borders from the British and the age old belief of peaceful co-existence with China.
Instead of endless talks, negotiations need to be done at a high political level to settle the border issue, keeping in mind what Dr B.R. Ambedkar had said: While boundary making is the responsibility of statesmen.
At stake is the future of the Arunachali people. This is the challenge to Indian polity.
COMMENTS
‘Never forget that the basic challenge in South-East Asia is between Indis and China. That Challenge runs along the spine of Asia. Never let the Chinese patronize you.’
- Jawaharlal Nehru in Frank Moraes’ Witness to an Era: India 1920 to the Present Day (1973).
Contents
Author’s Note
Prologue
Acknowledgements
PART I
LAND AND THE PEOPLE
1. My Appointment – Off to Itanagar
2. Serving the Northeast – Destiny
3. First Encounter – In Itanagar
4. Enchanting Arunachal
5. Early History and Relics
6. Touch – and – Go on the Border
7. Visit to Tawang
8. Land of the Monpas
9. Tawang Monastery – The Link to Tibet and Buddhism
10. The Tawang Region – The problems
11. The Valley of Death and Debacle – A bird’s Eye View
12. Over the Lohit
13. Land of the Adis
14. On the Banks of the siang
15. The Brahmaputra – Its Mystery and origin
16. Land of the Apatanis
17. Land of the Lonely Idus
18. The Nyshis and Hill Miris of Subansiri
19. Lands bordering Burma
20. Land of the Noctes and the Wanchos
21. Religion in Arunachal
22. Social Governance by Tribal Institutions
PART - II
EVOLUTION OF THE BORDER PROBLEM
23. Independent India’s Inheritance
24. The Inner Line
25. Alignment of the Line – Seeds of Future Conflict
26. Consolidation of the Boundary – Pre – 1947 Efforts
27. Post Independence Evolution – Nehru’s Policy Framework
28. Cattographic Aggression?
29. The Nehruvian Era – Discussions on the Border
30. The Indira Gandhi Era – The Deng Package
31. The Rajiv Gandhi Era – One – Up –Man ship
32. Post Wandung – Change of goal – Posts by China
33. The P.V. Narasimha Rao Era – Redefining Parameters
PART III
PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE
34. In the Twenty-first Century
35. Unendinh Talks
36. Dragon’s Shadow – India’s Challenge
Epilogue
Appendix – I
Appendix – 2
Bibliography
Index