ZUBAAN PUBLISHERS RESEARCH GRANTS FOR YOUNG RESEARCHERS FROM THE NORTHEAST, 2024-25
Introducing our Grantees!
The Zubaan Publishers Research Grants for Young Researchers from the Northeast, 2024-25, invited applications from young women, queer, trans, and non-binary individuals under 45 years of age from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, and the hill districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong. These grants aim to support projects that uncover lesser-known histories of marginalized women, queer communities, feminist movements, and oral traditions in the region.
This year’s grantees bring a diverse range of perspectives, exploring themes through research papers, visual storytelling, podcasts, and more. Their projects delve into histories of indigenous women’s practices, gendered experiences of conflict, migration, caste, culinary traditions, textiles, and cultural narratives. From the intricate stories carried in Nyishi women’s ornaments to the friendships and interdependencies of women vendors in Manipur’s markets, each project sheds light on lived experiences often left out of mainstream narratives.
We’re excited to introduce our 2024-25 grantees and their projects—each a unique contribution to the rich and complex histories of the Northeast. Stay tuned as we share more about their work in the coming months!
- Sara Khongsai
Lost Legacies – unearthing women narratives
Sara is a documentary filmmaker with a deep passion for biodiversity and conservation. Through the Green Hub Fellowship, they explored documentary filmmaking and co-developed Unexplored Tirap, a book highlighting Tirap’s biodiversity and culture. They are currently documenting folktales for Lost Legacies, an illustrated children’s book on nature and gender.
The project collects and illustrates nature-themed stories centered on women from Arunachal Pradesh, preserving indigenous ecological knowledge. Through workshops and storytelling, it promotes gender inclusivity and environmental awareness among children.
2. Taw Yalla
Stories Carried in Stones; Nyishi women and their ornaments.
Taw Yalla is a Nyishi tribal woman from Arunachal Pradesh and a lifelong history enthusiast. She has worked with museums, art galleries, and cultural organizations, focusing on identity, culture, and heritage as an independent researcher.
In her free time, Taw enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with her dog, Suttum.Her project explores the traditional ornaments of Nyishi women, which symbolize cultural identity, wealth, and agency in a patriarchal society. These ornaments also reflect the community’s cross-border histories and are a powerful means of communication for the women who wear them.
3. Aditi Kumar
Stories of Everyday Dissent and Radical Solidarities: A Graphic Narrative Centred Around the Experiences of Queerness and Caste in Assam.
Aditi is an artist and researcher from Guwahati, Assam, with a Master’s in Sociology from Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi. Their work explores gender, caste, sexuality, futurity, and affect through painting, illustration, and graphic narratives. Passionate about feminist and anticaste storytelling, they are currently working on a graphic story that examines the intersections of caste and queerness in contemporary Assam. Rooted in personal and collective experiences, the project highlights everyday dissent, radical solidarities, and the transformative possibilities of liberatory futures for marginalized queer communities.
4. Antarul Haque/Sparsh Chetri Rajneesh
The Moving Kolong
Antarul and Sparsh, longtime friends from Guwahati, are multimedia researchers who take a biographical and relational approach to their work. Antarul holds a BA and MA in Sociology from Ambedkar University Delhi, while Sparsh studied History at the University of Delhi and earned an MA in Media and Cultural Studies from TISS. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Hyderabad.
Their film, The Moving Kolong, is a patchwork ethnography exploring the intersecting mobilities of food, women, and infrastructure in Kolongpar Market, an urban-rural interface on Guwahati’s periphery. Following women vendors, the film traces their aspirations, struggles, and shifting experiences of work, precarity, and agency. Through the rhythms of movement—train, river, foot—it asks: how do transit infrastructures shape women’s everyday lives? What does it mean to inhabit the market through migration? In pausing on these movements, the project uncovers new meanings within the ordinary.
5. Klir Tissopi
A Study of the Indigenous Karbi Tattooing Heritage – The Tradition of Duk and Karbi Women
Klir Tissopi, a research associate at the Centre for Karbi Studies and an assistant professor of English at Diphu Government College, specializes in Karbi folklore, gender, and orality. Her project documents the fading tradition of indigenous Karbi tattoos, particularly duk—a black, vertical face tattoo worn by Karbi women, historically applied using thorns and natural dye. With the practice nearly extinct and little documentation available, her work seeks to preserve the surviving oral traditions surrounding duk before they are lost.
6.Rizowana Hussaini
Close Reading Oral Testimonies of Citizenship Woes of the Deshi Muslim Women
Rizowana Hussaini, a poet, writer, and researcher from Guwahati, is currently based in Tezpur, Assam. Her work explores decolonial feminist practices at the intersection of literature, culture, and politics. Pursuing a PhD on Muslim women’s resistance literature in contemporary transnational works, she examines the impact of citizenship laws on the Deshi Muslim women of Assam’s Dhubri district. Combining field research with literary analysis, her piece investigates how policies like the NRC and CAA have shaped their experiences and identities.
7. Asojiini Rachel Kashena
Violent conflicts and effects on interdependency, co-existence and friendships among women vendors: A case study of Kalapahar bazar, Manipur
Asojiini Rachel, a researcher and writer, holds a Master’s in Peace and Conflict Studies from Tata Institute of Social Sciences and a BSc in Botany from St. Edmund’s College, Shillong. Her work spans peacebuilding, conflict transformation, indigenous communities, forest conservation, and language marginalization in education. She is the author of Enduring Loss: Stories from the Kuki-Naga Conflict in Manipur (2017), published by the North Eastern Social Research Centre. Her current project explores the experiences of women vendors from diverse ethnic backgrounds at Kalapahar Bazar, Kangpokpi, Manipur, examining how violent conflicts disrupt this shared public space, which fosters food security, coexistence, and social bonds.
8. Cyrus Khumukcham
Parody Dell’arte: From playing homo stock characters to a media movement.
Cyrus Khumukcham recently completed his Master’s in English from the University of Delhi, North Campus. His research explores the intersection of performance and culture, with a focus on Manipuri dramas and Indigenous sensibilities. Passionate about discussions on Shamanism, he also engages in tarot readings. His current project examines the portrayal of male queerness in Manipuri cinema, where the “Homo” character has long been a subject of mockery. He explores how the Leitrabi Parody media movement reshaped this narrative by featuring queer individuals playing these roles, using social media to challenge stereotypes and normalize queerness.
9. Jessica H Vaiphei
The Flavors of HillsWomen | A feminist exploration of Culinary traditions among Zos(Kuki-Zomi-Chin-Hmar-Mizo) Women
Hailing from Lamka, this writer, cook, and eco-warrior weaves stories and flavors deeply rooted in Zo heritage. With a passion for storytelling since childhood, they craft narratives through both words and indigenous cuisine. Beyond the kitchen, their work in relief camps nourishes bodies and spirits while reflecting a commitment to protecting the land that shaped them. In conflict-ridden Manipur, where identity faces erasure, Zo (Kuki-Zomi-Chin-Hmar-Mizo) women preserve resilience through culinary traditions. Their work captures the laughter, wisdom, and flavors that bind these women to their heritage, challenging dominant narratives and celebrating a culture that remains vibrant, enduring, and uniquely theirs.
10. Rishita Loitongbam
Graphic Narrative on growing up in a conflict-ridden state.
Rishita Loitongbam, an illustrator from Manipur, studied Communication Design at NID Andhra Pradesh. She has illustrated several children’s picture books, many set in Northeast India. Often lost in her own thoughts, she draws to preserve moments she doesn’t want to forget. Her graphic narrative explores conflict through a child’s perspective, offering an innocent lens on life in conflict-ridden Manipur. By highlighting moments of joy and resilience amidst turmoil, the project presents a deeply personal yet nuanced portrayal of the region, contributing to broader conversations on conflict and identity.
11. Rahul Saikia
Looking Back with Mrs. Gyanada Kakati – Assamese Art, Cinema, and Women in Shillong’s Multicultural Past.
Rahul Saikia holds a Master’s and MPhil in Geography from the Delhi School of Economics. With experience as a university lecturer, content writer, and urban policy practitioner, his research focuses on urban restructuring, local governance, and cultural landscapes in Delhi, Shillong, and parts of Assam. As a former fellow with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), he contributed to developing a participatory budgeting platform. His current project examines the life and work of the late Assamese actress Gyanada Kakati, highlighting the role of Assamese women in Shillong’s multicultural past. Through a long-form essay and a potential exhibition, the project maps Assamese contributions to Shillong’s artistic landscape, offering a counterpoint to the region’s dominant ethno-nationalist narratives.
12. Rosie N Sanate
Welcome to Khaddum: a birthplace and a graveyard. Looking into an early Hmar settlement in Meghalaya and the plight of its women.
Rosie, an educator from the Hmar community in Shillong, belongs to a third-generation diaspora with roots in Khaddum, a remote village in Meghalaya. Her study focuses on the challenges faced by Hmar women in Khaddum, particularly in healthcare, education, and basic necessities. Through a survey-based approach, Rosie explores their resilience, especially during pregnancy, highlighting the ongoing struggles of rural Meghalaya amidst limited development and high infant mortality.
13. Cindy Zothanpuii Tlau
Politics of the Wrap: Narratives of Women, Woven Textiles, and Contemporary Mizo Society, Mizoram
Cindy Z. Tlau is a doctoral candidate in Visual Studies at JNU, a Mizo from Aizawl, now based in New Delhi. She likes to write, explore the world through her lens, and collect old photographs in her free time. Her MPhil explored identity and textiles, and she is drawn to the layered worlds of art and material culture. Building on her MPhil research, this passion project aims to explore the everyday life of the ‘puan’ in contemporary Mizo society – a handwoven textile, mostly worn by women, wrapped around the waist like a sarong. Its ubiquity often obscures the complex stories it carries about gender, identity, and history. The project seeks to highlight how Mizo women embody their identities, revealing forgotten histories and the quiet, powerful agency woven into these textiles.
14. K Malsawmtluangi
Whispers of the Hills: Unearthing Women’s Voices in Mizo Folklore and Cultural Narratives
Malsawmtluangi, a 21-year-old PhD scholar at Mizoram University, is passionate about the intersection of media, culture, and society. With a deep fascination for Mizo folklore, she blends storytelling with research to preserve indigenous narratives. Her illustrated essay, Whispers of the Hills, explores the overlooked voices of Mizo women in folklore and cultural practices. Through ethnographic research and visual storytelling, it highlights women’s leadership and agency, contributing to indigenous feminism. Combining traditional Mizo art with contemporary illustrations, the project aims to honor Mizo women’s legacy and ensure their voices resonate for generations.
15. V.L Ruatpuii
Echoes of Loss: An Oral History of Death and Grieving During the Covid-19 Pandemic as Told by Mizo Women. Grieving
VL Ruatpuii, a research scholar at Mizoram University and the daughter of the late VL Dawma, specializes in media and identity formation within minority communities in Mizoram. Her passion lies in amplifying marginalized voices, inspired by her own experiences. After losing her father to COVID-19 and witnessing the disruption of Mizo death rituals, her paper examines the emotional and cultural impact of the pandemic on death and grieving rituals in Mizoram, with a focus on Mizo women. Through autoethnography and oral history, the paper explores how the pandemic altered traditional mourning practices like Thlanthut and highlights the collective trauma and emotional disconnection caused by the crisis.
16. Amo Konyak B
Ink and Identity: Exploring the lives and experiences of the last generation of tattooed women of Konyak Naga Tribe
Amo is a Research Scholar in Socio-cultural Anthropology at North Eastern Hill University, specializing in marriage among the Konyak Naga. Their research interests encompass society, culture, gender, and material culture within indigenous communities, with a focus on projects related to Konyak traditional attire and ornaments for a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. This study explores the last generation of tattooed Konyak Naga women, examining the cultural, gendered, and historical significance of their tattoos. Using a feminist phenomenological lens, it aims to preserve their stories and provide insights into the community’s rich heritage.
17. Purlemla Longkumer
OTING’s Dark Christmas: A Story of Women’s Survival and Rebuilding Lives in the Aftermath of Violence.
Purlemla Longkumer, known as Purlem, is a Sociology professor at Kohima College, Kohima, with a PhD from Assam University, Silchar, focusing on gender issues and the experiences of Naga women navigating tradition and modernity. By day, she teaches, and by night, she’s a proud mama to nine cats. Purlem combines her passion for academia with a love for exploring new places and telling stories that empower others. Her research explores the profound social and economic consequences of the Oting massacre of December 4, 2021, highlighting the urgent need for justice, rehabilitation, and systemic change, especially for women who have been forced into new, challenging roles.
18. Pema Gyalchen Tamang
The City and the Hills: Queer Migrations from Darjeeling and Sikkim Hills
Pema Gyalchen Tamang is an Assistant Professor at Sikkim Manipal University and has previously taught at Bhawanipur Education Society College and Salesian College. With an MA in English from Jadavpur University, his research spans Early Modern European Literature, Gender and Sexuality, and Himalayan Studies. His work has been published in journals like Himalaya and Postcolonial Interventions, as well as volumes by Routledge and Cambridge Scholars. He is also actively involved in South Asian literature translation projects. His current research examines migration from Darjeeling and Sikkim from a queer perspective, focusing on the experiences of queer individuals in urban spaces, and the intersections of racism, class identity, and solidarity.
19. Prashanti Subba
Parijat’s Boni: A Feminist Dialogue
Prashanti Subba is a freelance editor and translator from Darjeeling, West Bengal. A graduate of The Seagull School of Publishing, Kolkata, she is passionate about literature and believes in the power of stories to unite people across perspectives. Her research focuses on exploring the feminist voice in Parijat’s literature, particularly through a thematic translation and interpretation of her novella Boni. By delving into Parijat’s storytelling, Prashanti examines themes of gender, identity, and resilience, offering fresh insights into these issues and connecting readers to the enduring relevance of the author’s work.
20. Shradhanjali Tamang
Songs Across Borders: Indigenous Tamang women, whai and selo
Shradhanjali Tamang, an Assistant Professor in Film Studies at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, hails from Mirik, Darjeeling. With a PhD thesis on orality and folk traditions from the Eastern Himalayas, she is deeply involved in translating Indian Nepali literature and folk forms. She co-edited Tamang Selo: Annotated Text and English Translation (2015), focusing on Tamang indigenous damphurey singers from Darjeeling-Kalimpong Hills and Eastern Nepal. This research explores themes of identity, borders, and gender, with Tamang whai and selo songs as central to the work. It examines these songs as both ritual practices and modes of storytelling, while also reflecting on the methods of recording, representation, and indigeneity.