When the Beautiful Game Meets Ugly Economics
The FIFA World Cup has, for nearly a century, stood as the grandest spectacle in global sport. In football-loving pockets such as Mokokchung and across Nagaland, it is less an…
What Silence Says About a Town
It is often said that if people cannot write well, they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, others will do the thinking for them. In his famous…
Can Mokokchung Cucumber Scale Up?
It is cucumber season again in Mokokchung. The much sought after local variety, now recognized under a Geographical Indication tag, continues to define the district’s agricultural identity. Widely appreciated for…
Better Traffic Etiquette Can Ease Growing Congestion
There was a time, not very long ago, when traffic congestion was almost unheard of in Mokokchung. Today, traffic jams have become a daily ordeal, particularly along the town’s main…
Time to Move Past the Topper Narrative
Each year, the announcement of results by the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) follows a familiar script. Headlines focus on toppers, pass percentages, and the number of government schools…
Durable Roads Remain Elusive in Mokokchung
Mokokchung’s roads tell a familiar and frustrating story. In mid 2022, several youth organizations raised their voices over the deplorable condition of the IMDH Road, a key stretch from Police…
What Do We Mean by Development?
In Nagaland, everyone speaks of development. From politicians and their loyalists to government officials, from civil society leaders to grassroots organizers, the word is everywhere. It dominates political speeches, policy…
Who will carry the conversation forward?
When Amba Jamir remarked at Fazl Ali College that “just because we are in the corner of India does not mean we cannot contribute anything,” the statement resonated beyond the…
At the Edge of Continuity: The Question of Naga Civilization
Naga society did not begin as a unified political entity. It emerged from village republics, self-governing and bound by customary law, where identity was inseparable from land and tradition. These…
Stuck in Lodi Again
The song “Lodi” by Creedence Clearwater Revival tells the story of a musician stranded in the small town of Lodi, unable to move forward, trapped by circumstance and misfortune. “Oh…