The Activist, the CBI, and the Rivers She Fought to Save

Bhanu Tatak has spent years fighting to protect Arunachal’s rivers. Now, the Central Bureau of Investigation has come knocking — and the charges couldn’t be more loaded. It isn’t every day that an environmental activist ends up in the CBI’s crosshairs. But for Bhanu Tatak — lawyer, activist, and one of the most vocal voices … Read more

“Siang Is Not a Battlefield”: Congress Blasts Heavy Security Deployment for Hydropower Survey

When armed forces roll into your village not during a conflict, but during a survey — you have to ask whose development this really is. That’s essentially the question the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) is raising after the state government deployed a heavy presence of central armed police forces and other security personnel in … Read more

Four Years On, Assam’s Adivasi Community Still Waiting for the Tribal Status They Were Promised

Four years have passed since that historic handshake — and the Adivasi community in Assam is still waiting. On September 15, the Adivasi Welfare and Development Council gathered at the Public High School playground in Kachugaon to mark its fourth Accord Day — a reminder of the peace settlement signed on the same date back … Read more

A Child Went to School. He Never Came Home.

A young boy, barely old enough to be away from his parents, was found dead inside the premises of a government-run residential school in Arunachal Pradesh. And so far, there are more questions than answers. A Class 6 student of the Eklavya Model Residential School in Nyapin, located in the remote Kurung Kumey district, was … Read more

When a Blade Carries Your Soul — The Living Heritage of Arunachal’s Dao and Byopa

There are some objects in this world that refuse to just be objects. In Arunachal Pradesh, two of them have quietly held entire civilizations together — one forged in fire, the other woven from cane and crowned with a bird’s beak. Walk into any village tucked between the green hills of Arunachal and you’ll sense … Read more

Eight Years in the Making: The Dri River Bridge That Could Change Everything for Arunachal’s China Border Region

For the people living deep inside Dibang Valley, crossing the Dri River has never been a casual thing. It has been a gamble — a daily uncertainty shaped by weather, swollen waters, and a question that should never have to be asked: will I make it across today? That question may finally have an answer. … Read more

Arunachal on the World Stage: Speaker Tesam Pongte Leads State Delegation to Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town

Cape Town, South Africa, is not exactly a city most people associate with Arunachal Pradesh. But this week, the northeastern state has a seat at one of the world’s most prominent parliamentary gatherings — and it’s making its presence count. Assembly Speaker Tesam Pongte is leading a four-member delegation from Arunachal Pradesh to the 69th … Read more

Five Days of Rain Are Coming — Arunachal, Are You Ready?

If you had plans to travel across the hills this week, you might want to hold that thought. The India Meteorological Department has put out a five-day weather forecast for Arunachal Pradesh, and it is not painting a pretty picture — rain, thunderstorms, and more rain are on the way starting September 15. The IMD’s … Read more

Drums, Rituals, and a Blocked Road: Ugeng Villagers Draw a Line Against the Siang Project

A road was blocked. A traditional ritual was performed. And a message was sent — loud and clear. On September 14, residents of Ugeng village in Arunachal Pradesh came out in large numbers to physically stop vehicles from moving towards the Siang area, in what is the latest and most visible act of resistance against … Read more

A Boy Remembered a Number He Learned in Class — And It Led to an Arrest Within the Hour

Something remarkable happened in Arunachal Pradesh’s East Siang district earlier this month, and it started not with a police patrol or a tip-off, but with a schoolboy who remembered a phone number. A minor girl had allegedly been lured by her 54-year-old neighbour — someone she likely knew and trusted — under the pretence of … Read more