ABSTRACT: The study will explore shifts in the population composition of each ethnic community over time. It will also examine the causes of the shift in population composition and how different ethnic communities connect it to their identities. Finally, the study will analyse how the threat to the identity of a community leads to conflict. The study is based on the ethnic groups of Manipur and analysis is focused on the context of their relationships. The study finds that the shift in population composition has impacted the identities of different communities. There is a link between population growth and the exercise of control over land and resources. This conflict, when compounded by other factors, often leads to violence and ethnic clashes. The study concludes that ethnic groups in Manipur find themselves in a position where fulfilling one identity results in the loss of others, and they fail to build a collective identity of Manipur in which each community is a part. The study suggests building the narrative of a common identity. The collective identity of a unified Manipur must be forward-looking, inculcating the values of prosperity, development, innovation and a scientific temperament while discarding the forces that create division. The only roadblock to building this new identity is the incumbent actors who are benefiting from this atmosphere of conflict. We, the common people, must realise that the elite actors have the power and authority to build narratives to their own advantage. The sooner the common people of Manipur realise this, the sooner the conflict will end, and we can build a collective identity for a prosperous future.

KEYWORDS: Demography. Conflict. Manipur. Ethnicity. Identity.

ABSTRACT: Mass media shapes perception, disseminates ideas, informs the citizens and influences public opinion. The roles of media are dynamic and caries accountability of the contents which are published having truthfulness and objectivity. This paper attempts to examines the roles of mass media and the ethics of journalism during 2023-2024 Manipur ethnic conflict. In order to examine the objectives, content analysis of few selected international news organisations, national news organization and local media of Manipur was collected and examined. The findings of this research suggests that mass media served both as a vehicle of informing the citizens and also had misleading roles. Misinformation, particularly during sensitive situations like conflicts, can be harmful or even lethal. Thus, studying the interplay between media and these contexts is crucial. This paper highlights the troubling ‘symbolic annihilation’ of Manipur, showing how divisions along ethnic lines have silenced the majority community’s voice in favor of the minority by meticulously utilizing psychological tactics like “framing” and “Kuleshov effect”. This imbalance in representation raises serious concerns about the quality of conflict journalism. To foster understanding and healing, it is essential to prioritize peace journalism, focusing on dialogue and solutions during these sensitive times.

KEYWORDS: Mass Media. Perception. Public Opinion. Manipur. Ethical Journalism. Symbolic Annihilation. Peace Journalism. Conflict Resolution. Media Ethics.

ABSTRACT: This study examines how the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur has reshaped the educational trajectories, psychosocial well-being, social relationships and peace perspectives of displaced youth from the Meitei and Kuki communities. The research was conducted in the conflict-affected districts of Thoubal, Imphal West, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, where large-scale displacement has occurred. Adopting a qualitative design, the study draws on semi-structured, in-depth interviews with displaced youth stakeholders, including research scholars, college teachers and student leaders, selected through purposive sampling to ensure direct experiential knowledge of violence and displacement. All participants were residing in relief or temporary accommodations during data collection. Thematic analysis revealed pervasive psychological distress marked by fear, anxiety and disrupted aspirations. Displacement emerged as a key factor linking conflict to educational discontinuity and unemployment, forcing youth to migrate, suspend studies or bear significant economic and emotional burdens. While participants demonstrated resilience through education, faith-based practices and community solidarity, such resilience often coexisted with fragile coping and inter-community mistrust. Peace was largely understood as the absence of violence rather than reconciliation. The study concludes that sustainable peace in Manipur requires trauma-informed, youth-centred and relational approaches that promote psychosocial healing and inclusive participation.

KEYWORDS: Ethnic Conflict. Youth. Displacement. Psychosocial Well-being. Resilience. Social Relationships. Peace-building. Manipur.

ABSTRACT: Manipur has been a site for identity-based conflicts and enduring socio-political unrest since colonial times. The abovementioned issues are the highlights of this paper, albeit from a literary perspective. This paper seeks to understand the poetic representation of ethnic violence and the communities’ collective failure to uphold social harmony and peace in the state, specifically in the poetry of Robin S. Ngangom. Also, this paper discusses the Naga–Kuki War (1992–1998) and briefly engages with the ethnic clashes that erupted on 3 May 2023 between the Meiteis and Kukis. These ethnic wars are devastating episodes that have resulted in the loss of lives and property, and large-scale displacement within the state and country. Historically speaking, Manipur has contested histories, disputed territorial claims, and identity politics that keep the state on the edge. In this context, a rereading of Robin S. Ngangom’s poetry becomes essential, as it serves as both a repository of collective memory and a mode of ethical resistance to mindless violence and killing. It also examines how poetry engages with ethnic and territorial claims and the devastating results of such claims. The significance of his poetry lies in foregrounding violence (often seen as overused and redundant) that is often glossed over in discussions of Manipuri literature, culture, history, and politics. Through reading Robin’s poetry, the paper shall demonstrate how Manipuri poetry offers an intimate understanding of lived experiences marked by sustained violence and loss. Manipuri poetry, especially Robin’s works, incisively documents human suffering and vulnerability and sustains a hope for renewal, however fragile it may be.

KEYWORDS: Manipur. Naga. Kuki. Territory. History. Identity. Ethnic Violence

ABSTRACT: Manipur is a state in Northeast India known for its rich culture and traditions, experiencing a violent ethnic conflict between two communities, resulting in the displacement of thousands of people and leading to the establishment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. So, this study aims to compare the levels of stress and blood pressure between adult Meitei women in IDP camps and those living in a non-IDP settlement at Moirang. A cross-sectional design was employed, involving a total of 300 participants (150 IDP and 150 non-IDP women) aged 18-60 years. Normal blood pressure was slightly more common in IDPs (38.67%) than in non-IDPs (34%), while Pre-hypertension and Stage I hypertension were higher in non-IDPs, while Stage II hypertension was more prevalent in IDPs (10.67% vs. 5.33%). However, these differences were not statistically significant (X2 4.64, p = 0.2). In contrast, 73.33% of IDP women experienced moderate stress, 26% experienced high stress, and only 0.67% experienced low stress. Meanwhile, 58% of non-IDP Women experienced low stress, 42% experienced moderate stress, and none of them experienced high stress. Overall, 57.67% of all women experienced moderate stress, 29.33% low stress, and 13% high stress. The X2 135.81 and p=0 show a highly significant difference, indicating that IDP women perceived significantly higher stress levels than non-IDP women. The findings indicate that while displacement does not significantly impact blood pressure or BMI among women in the study, it substantially affects stress levels, highlighting the mental health burden faced by displaced women. The study highlights the concerns of stress levels among internally displaced populations.

KEYWORDS: Hypertension. Stress. IDP (Internally Displaced Persons). BMI.

ABSTRACT: Driven by limited industrial development, skill mismatches, geographical isolation, and continued dependence on subsistence agriculture, Manipur grapples with a persistent socio-economic crisis rooted in structural unemployment. These interconnected challenges have contributed to rising despair and vulnerability to drug abuse among young people. Prolonged unemployment leaves many educated graduates idle, economically insecure, and psychologically distressed, creating conditions conducive to substance use. The state’s proximity to the so-called Golden Triangle further heightens exposure to drug trafficking and availability, including heroin and synthetic substances. Although intensified eradication campaigns have reduced opium poppy cultivation in several areas, the broader social consequences of drug accessibility remain significant. This study employs qualitative narratives to explore a vicious cycle linking unemployment and substance dependence. Findings from semi-structured interviews with affected youth reveal that idleness and frustration often prompt initial experimentation with drugs as a coping strategy. Over time, this coping mechanism frequently develops into addiction, contributing to mental health deterioration, strained family relationships, financial instability, and broader community disruption. Substance dependence, in turn, deepens social marginalization and reduces opportunities for meaningful employment, reinforcing the structural conditions that facilitated its emergence. By examining these intertwined structural and social dimensions, the study underscores the need for comprehensive and context-sensitive interventions. It advocates for targeted skill development aligned with market demands, sustainable alternative livelihood initiatives in rural areas, expanded and accessible rehabilitation services, and community-driven prevention strategies. Addressing both unemployment and addiction simultaneously is essential to breaking this cycle and restoring resilience and hope among the youth of Manipur.

KEYWORDS: Unemployment. Drug. Despair. Youth. Vulnerability. Manipur.

ABSTRACT: Manipur, as an unfortunate consequence of its strategic location, occupies an important point on the drug trafficking map of the world. Years of unrest fuelled by ethnic tensions fuelled by internal and external forces have created a fertile breeding ground for illicit activities. The main objective of this study is to perform a retrospective analysis based on newspaper reports of some basic demographic data of apprehended drug peddlers in Manipur during the period 2015-2024. Data pertaining to 823 drug peddlers has been examined with respect to demographic parameters like sex, age group, district of residence and ethnicity. The overwhelming majority of peddlers were found to be males, and most of the peddlers were within the age bracket of 17-45 years. More than half of the peddlers hailed from four districts of the state, two in the valley region and two in the hill region. Finally, about 75% of the apprehended people belonged to two particular ethnic groups of the state. A combination of factors like civil unrest, economic pressures, gender socialization, structural and geographical implications, etc can be used to interpret the findings. However, the findings of this study are quite basic in the larger scheme of things and research should be expanded to include more parameters and perspectives. Interventions at societal and government level need to be taken up in earnest to tackle the drug menace in the state.

KEYWORDS: Manipur. Drugs. Illicit. Unrest. Newspaper. Demographic. Peddlers.

ABSTRACT: Elevated blood pressure, including pre-hypertension, is increasingly prevalent among women in India, yet state-level evidence from Manipur, Northeast India is limited. This study examined the prevalence and biosocial determinants of pre-hypertension and hypertension among women aged 15–49 years (n=6831) in Manipur using data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–2021). Blood pressure was classified using JNC-7 guidelines, and survey-weighted logistic regression models assessed socio-demographic, behavioural, and biological correlates. Hypertension prevalence increased with age and varied significantly across districts. In adjusted models, older age, primary education, overweight/obesity, elevated waist circumference, and diabetes were independently associated with both pre-hypertension and hypertension, while underweight status was protective. Social category was associated with hypertension but not pre-hypertension. The high burden of pre-hypertension alongside widespread central adiposity underscores early cardiometabolic risk among women. These findings highlight the need for gender-sensitive, regionally grounded strategies for early detection and prevention of hypertension in Northeast India.

KEYWORDS: Women’s Health. Cardiometabolic Risk. Prehypertension. Hypertension. Obesity. Central Obesity. Diabetes. Manipur.

ABSTRACT: This study examines the relationship between gender and sibling size in family, in conformity to academic motivation of higher secondary students in Manipur, a North-Eastern state of India wherein patriarchal, patrilineal, and patronymic social system prevails. Given the stereotypic preference of son in patrilineal societies and lower educational achievements in larger families of India, the present study attempts such a study in Manipur scenario. A randomly selected sample of 500 students (200 males and 300 females) from 11 higher secondary schools in the Imphal East and Imphal West districts was surveyed using a questionnaire while academic motivation was measured using Vallerand’s Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), 1992. As normality assumptions were violated (p < .001), non-parametric statistical analyses were employed. Spearman’s correlation revealed a weak but statistically significant positive relationship between sibling size and academic motivation (? = 0.220, p < .001). Female students demonstrated significantly higher academic motivation than male students; however, the strength of the association was weak (? = .215, p < .001). Differences across sibling-number categories were significant (Kruskal–Wallis H = 23.99, p < .001), with students having two or more siblings demonstrating higher motivation than those with no or one sibling. Gender differences were further confirmed by the Mann–Whitney U test (U = 22,436.50, p < .001), though the effective size was small (r = 0.214). Overall, the findings suggest that though the gender and sibling size are significantly associated with academic motivation, their effects are modest.

KEYWORDS: Academic motivation. Gender differences. Sibling size. Higher secondary students. Manipur.

ABSTRACT: Studies on transgender lives in India have expanded considerably in recent years, yet they remain uneven in their regional focus and conceptual depth. Much of the existing literature continues to privilege metropolitan, hijra-centric, or public-health perspectives, often overlooking indigenous gender identities and everyday institutional experiences. This review critically examines the interdisciplinary literature on transgender lives in Manipur, with a particular focus on identity formation, education, culture, and resistance within the Nupi Manbi community. Drawing on sociological studies, historical analyses, narrative inquiries, policy critiques, and literary interventions, the article argues that transgender marginalization in Manipur is historically produced and institutionally sustained rather than culturally inherent. Early studies played an important role in documenting visibility and health concerns but were shaped by deficit-oriented frameworks. More recent studies foreground history, lived experience, creative expression, and agency, revealing how transgender individuals negotiate conditional acceptance within cultural spaces while facing persistent exclusion in education, employment, and social institutions. By synthesizing these bodies of work, the review highlights key contributions, shared limitations, and emerging shifts in transgender research. It concludes by emphasizing the need for intersectional, ethnographic, and policy-oriented approaches that translate indigenous gender histories and lived realities into meaningful structural change.

KEYWORDS: Transgender studies. Nupi Manbi. Manipur. Identity. Culture

ABSTRACT: In the domain of intangible cultural heritage of a society, there are performing art forms expressing the unique creativity of song, music, dance, theatre, etc. Among the Meiteis, the dominant people in the central valley of Manipur in India, there are traditional art performances mainly associated with ritual ceremonies and social functions. The present study attempts to describe the cultural tradition of a musical art form which has been performing exclusively by womenfolk. Rasheshwori pala is the collection of musical performers belonging to the female descendants of a king’s linage known as Karta bangsa (lineage of Karta Maharaj). In Manipur, princess Rasheshwori’s group sang verses of Hindu god in ordered bodily movements as the first women’s musical performance in sankritan. This paper will look into the particular religio-cultural heritage through the line of a specific royal kin group comprising womenfolk only as an integral part in their social matrix. Methodologically, the standard techniques of observation and in-depth interview were used to collect data. Indeed, it may be described as the key feature in the journey of Vaishnavite Hindu women of Manipur for the participation in sankritan after its initiation by the exclusive women members of the Royal family. Gradually, it turns open an avenue for common women in the patriachial Meitei society to perform in sankritan under the title of various nupi pala. Promotion of syncretised Hinduism in respect of art forms among the Meiteis would not be satisfactory without the role of Rasheshori Pala

KEYWORDS: Hinduism. Sankritan. art form. Rasheshwori pala. Meitei. Manipur.

ABSTRACT: The Ima Keithel Market, popularly called “Mother Market,” is a distinctive marketplace that is exclusively managed by women. It is located in Imphal, Manipur, India, and it represents a very important aspect in both the history and culture of Manipur. This market, which dates back to centuries, is a prime example of the significant contribution Manipuri women have made to local trade, agriculture, and handicrafts. Ima Keithel is more than just a trading hub; it’s a matriarchal values-enshrined social institution that represents the tenacity, resiliency, and entrepreneurship of women. It has been the centre of political activism and social movements as well as a hub for information sharing and social cohesion in the community. The rationale for studying Ima Keithel is to collect, preserve, and disseminate its history and culture. The study’s objectives include tracing the origins of the product, looking into the cultural beliefs and rituals associated with it, and examining the role of the women vendors in societal upliftment and cultural preservation. A variety of research methods were used in this study, including focus groups, semi-structured interviews, archival research, observation, and artifact analysis with a sample size of 30 participants.

KEYWORDS: Ima Keithel. Historical Significance. Cultural Significance. Women Vendor. Manipur. Women Empowerment.

ABSTRACT: This paper explores the informal cross-border trade between Tusom village in Manipur, India and Somra and adjoining villages in Myanmar as a critical borderland livelihood practice. Even without steady-state backing, these Naga-inhibited villages illustrate how communities at the geopolitical margins sustain themselves through informal economic practices, even when situated on the Indo-Myanmar borderlands. Based on ethnographic fieldwork involving participant observation, in-depth interviews and life history narratives, the study documents how diesel is transported across unofficial border routes and embedded within networks of kinship, trust and mutual dependence. The findings show that local traders do not perceive the trade as illegal. Instead, it is framed as a legitimate livelihood in their own terms. While the trade technically violates formal border and trade regulations, it is often tolerated or selectively policed by local authorities, reflecting a complex negotiated form of governance at the margins of the state. This paper argues that the diesel trade functions as a form of substitute infrastructure that enables everyday mobility, electricity generation and small-scale economic activities in the absence of reliable state support. It exemplifies how informal economies in borderlands are shaped by both necessity and agency. Instead of viewing these practices as aberrant, the study makes a case for recognizing them as pragmatic response to government shortcomings and highlights how people in the border region creatively navigate and reshape the boundaries of state power and law.

KEYWORDS: Diesel Trade. Borderland Livelihood. Indo-Myanmar Border. Tusom Village. Somra. Informal Economy. State Presence.

ABSTRACT: The paper has envisaged to delineate the origin of the Kom tribe of Manipur through an epistemological perspective. Field works for the primary data have been conducted during the period 2000-01. Historical information has been drawn from the selected renowned Kom members from four districts of Manipur. Secondary data from the natives and British writers are also are taken into account. The Kom tribe is one of the 33 Scheduled Tribes of Manipur and they were distributed in 59 villages and covering four districts of Manipur i.e. the Churachandpur district, Senapati district, Chandel district and the Imphal-East district. The Sagang Khopui village under the jurisdiction of Churachandpur district is considered to be the biggest Kom village in the state. The Kom population in Manipur accounts to be 15,988 souls as on 2000-2001 survey records. Trace of the origin of the Kom tribe is still obscure. British administrators like Brown (1873) and Shakespear (1912) mentioned their settlements. Emic view from local Kom members such as Teba K. Christian (1977) believed to have emerged from the caves which etymologically support with their dialect- Kom means cave and Rem means people or tribe, meaning thereby, the cave man which also reflected in their traditional folk song.

KEYWORDS: Kom Tribe. Sagang Khopui. Kom. Cave man. Manipur.

ABSTRACT: Rice beer, locally known as ‘O’, occupies a central place in Apatani domestic and ritual life in Arunachal Pradesh. This paper presents a process-oriented ethnography of Apatani brewing, tracing the cycle from the preparation of epoh (starter culture) through fermentation, storage, extraction, and classification. Based on ethnographic observation and interviews, it examines how fermentation is managed through stage-specific containers, environmental control, and sensory monitoring. Changes in warmth, liquid flow, and timing of transfer between containers guide intervention, while distinctions in maturity and extraction inform evaluation of quality. The study shows that Apatani brewing operates as an embodied system of indigenous fermentation knowledge sustained through domestic practice and socially regulated conduct, contributing to anthropological discussions of indigenous food technologies in Northeast India.

KEYWORDS: Indigenous fermentation knowledge. Rice beer (O). Social regulation. Sensory evaluation. Material infrastructure.