New Delhi: Rajeev Bhattacharyya’s latest work, “ULFA: The Mirage of Dawn,” unravels the covert history of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), a separatist organisation that has wielded significant influence in India’s Northeast since the early 1980s.
In this bold piece of investigative journalism, Bhattacharyya guides readers on a compelling journey deep into ULFA’s stronghold, featuring exclusive interviews with key figures, both overground and underground, across India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.
Published by HarperCollins India, “ULFA: The Mirage of Dawn” by Rajeev Bhattacharyya will be released on 23 December on SoftCover, ThePrint’s online venue to launch non-fiction books.
The book illuminates the distinctive cross-border connections that set ULFA apart in the landscape of Indian insurgency, showcasing an international network spanning from Pakistan and Afghanistan to Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and China.
Bhattacharyya’s rigorous research and undercover investigations, interviews with clandestine members of the organisation, contribute to the gripping narrative. The book not only explores the group’s origins but also scrutinizes major events, challenging prevailing interpretations that have shaped public perceptions of ULFA for years.
Commending the book, professor Sumit Ganguly, Rabindranath Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations at Indiana University, lauded its provision of a fitting ‘political context, nuanced judgment, and avoidance of sweeping claims’.
“Those interested in the emergence and role of this critical political movement in a vital state in India’s long-troubled northeast will benefit much from a careful perusal of this volume,” expressed Ganguly.
While Veena Sikri, former high commissioner of India to Bangladesh, praised the book for its compelling details depicting the rise and fall of ULFA.
Bhattacharyya, a freelance journalist based in Guwahati with previous works such as “Rendezvous with Rebels” (2014) and “Lens and the Guerrilla” (2012), brings his expertise to the forefront, establishing this book as a definitive exploration of one of India’s most formidable separatist movements.
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