SHILLONG, April 29: The History Department of Shillong College organised a guest lecture on Friday on the topic ‘Hill State Movement and the Emergence of Meghalaya’, which was delivered by Prof A Banshan Syiem Kharkongor of the Department of History, Union Christian College.
The department felt the need for a lecture on this topic because it is important for the understanding of the history of the state which is a part of the department’s syllabus. The topic was also felt to be appropriate as Meghalaya is commemorating fifty years of statehood.
Prof Kharkongor has done a comprehensive study on the area and has a number of publications to his credit. His most important work is a recently published book titled The Hill State Movement in Meghalaya: A Socio-Historical Narrative, which was published by the Arts and Culture Department.
In his lecture, Prof Kharkongor stressed on the factors leading to the Hill State Movement, how it transitioned from a movement that was confined to the political elite and progressed to a mass social movement in its later stages. An interesting point of note is that songs, slogans and poems became an integral part of mass demonstrations in the Hill State Movement.
The programme was attended by the Principal of Shillong College, Dr E Kharkongor, Vice Principal, Prof KD Roy, teachers and students from the different departments of the College.
Dr E Kharkongor, in her speech stressed upon the fact that the youth of today are faced with many challenges due to changes in all aspects of society and encouraged them to prepare themselves for such challenges as they are the future of the state and nation as a whole.
