New Delhi: Before 2008, Arunachal Pradesh was barely on New Delhi’s list of priorities. Roads were few, infrastructure was scarce, and development was largely non-existent. In the capital’s power corridors, officials believed developing the frontier state would open the door to China, noted state secretary Sonam Chombay.
“The Indian government thought if Arunachal Pradesh was developed, the Chinese would come and use it. It was, hence, a very neglected region, a neglected state,” recalled Chief Minister Pema Khandu at the launch of Chombay’s book at the India International Centre in Delhi. The book In Between the Blurry Lines: 14 Defining Moments That Shaped Arunachal Pradesh is written by Chombay, commissioner to the CM.
Chombay’s book offers a rare glimpse into Arunachal Pradesh’s history, politics and identity, covering key events such as the Inner Line Regulation of 1873, the McMahon Line of 1914, and Major Bob Khating’s 1951 mission.
On the panel were CM Khandu and former Chief of Army Staff General JJ Singh, who also served as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh between 2008 and 2013.
Gen Singh said that the book was a monumental read, as it was the labour of deep research and a detailed understanding of the state’s historical background. The hall was filled with research scholars, students from Arunachal Pradesh who are studying in Delhi, and activists. Their questions revolved around stigmatisation that people from the state face in Delhi.
Chombay’s decision to write the book was driven by the fact that very little is known about Arunachal Pradesh. He has tried to condense the state’s history into 14 defining moments, divided into before and after 2008.
“I think it’s the foresight of the India Foundation [an independent research centre] that they felt that it’s worth telling the story of a distant land that is Arunachal and how it means a lot for India,” said Chombay.
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The goal behind the book
Chombay was studying at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) when he cleared the civil services examination in 2003. For the past 15 years, he has served in Arunachal Pradesh – rising the ranks to become commissioner and secretary to the state government.
While writing the book, Chombay said he had one clear goal: to centre the people of Arunachal and make them the protagonists of their own story. He wanted to be lucid so even a high school student would understand the book.
“I had two options—narrate it in a linear fashion or pick events and tell the story through them. I chose the latter, and picked 14 moments that left a lasting impact on Arunachal Pradesh,” Chombay said. “This is my small way of contributing to Arunachal Pradesh.”
He regards the events of 1959, when the 14th Dalai Lama came through Tawang to lead the Tibetan government in exile, as the most important in the state’s history. As he spoke, young members in the audience took notes.
Chombay credited General Singh, who became governor in 2008, with starting the state’s development push.
“There was a tectonic shift in policy,” Chombay said. “Earlier, [the thinking was] that Arunachal has to be left alone, [that] we should not build any infrastructure which the invading forces could use.”
Arunachal Pradesh’s development
The IIC event seemed less like a book launch and more like a class on India’s remotest state. From pointing out that Arunachal Pradesh is the largest state in the Northeast to reminding the audience that it shares international borders with China, Bhutan and Myanmar, CM Khandu spoke about the state’s geography, challenges and diversity.
Beginning his address with “Namaskar aap sabko,” Khandu highlighted his government’s achievements and Arunachal Pradesh’s contribution to national development.
“Very soon, Arunachal will contribute to the nation’s economy. The biggest potential area is our hydropower potential. We have been working aggressively in the hydropower sector,” said the CM, speaking in fluent Hindi while occasionally using English words.
“The way Arunachal Pradesh’s journey began after 2008, especially in 2014, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi – the whole state and the Northeast have witnessed a big change,” he said, drawing a round of applause from the audience.
(Edited by Prashant)