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 conference hall. It was both a reminder and a challenge.
The two-day conference at Fazl Ali College deserves appreciation for creating a rare and much-needed space in Mokokchung, one where questions of development, governance, and identity were not just discussed, but examined through the lens of local realities. At a time when such conversations are often distant from smaller towns, the initiative itself is significant.
Yet, as with any meaningful platform, its true value lies in how far it travels beyond the stage.
Much of what Jamir spoke about, including the reliance on external planning, the overlooking of local knowledge, and the disconnect between policy and lived realities, reflects concerns that are not unfamiliar to Nagaland. His reference to “ecological intelligence,” for instance, is deeply embedded in everyday life here, whether in farming practices or seasonal understanding. These are not abstract ideas; they are lived knowledge systems.
This is precisely why platforms like the one created at Fazl Ali College matter. They bring such ideas into formal discussion. But they also raise an important question: who gets to speak in these spaces?
For many students, conferences remain something to attend, not something to participate in. While listening is important, the next step must be engagement.
The question, then, is not whether such conversations are happening, but whether they are able to move beyond classrooms, into public spaces, institutions, and decision-making processes where they can truly matter.
Encouraging more students to present papers, share research, or even question speakers can help shift this dynamic. It is through this process that confidence is built, not just to understand issues, but to articulate them.
Fazl Ali College, through this conference, has already taken an important step by opening up space for such conversations. Expanding student involvement in future editions, especially in presentations and discussions, could make these platforms even more meaningful and rooted.
If ideas about the region are often shaped elsewhere, then part of the response must come from within classrooms and campuses, but not as confrontation, but as contribution.
The conversation has begun. The next step is to ensure that more voices from within carry it forward.