A baked Shangri-la man, I was born in a small village called Maj Debara in Dhemaji district of Assam; amidst floods. I survived! but despite this seemingly god sent message, I till date cannot swim to save my life- again! Post schooling at Don Bosco and Cotton College, I decided to study further and moved out of Assam. Since then I have managed to traverse a few lands- inland and abroad- giving wings to my passion for writing and photography. It also provided me a glimpse into the stark differences present in my identity vis-à-vis that of others. Hence, questioning came accidently yet stealthily into my life. Translating what feeds me and matters to me into words, sharpened realizations and awareness of self and others. My opinions and challenges to them, I wish would one day help break existing structural barriers on which this society is built. When not ‘decoding’ ideas, I like to break into impromptu song sequences- my audience being the world, my better half and our newborn son.
Hierarchy chokes me, hence I craftily found a ‘means of living’ in a space where I can interact- vertically/horizontally/diagonally! I like to think I am a professional jack-of-all-trades and like to master them too! True to my name- I like ‘entertaining’ friends both through words and my notes. I hope this blog will unravel a part of me and what matters to me and I can guarantee to many of you too!…
Hello, This is Dr. Tahmina Rahman. I am a political scientist specializing in politics of polarization and populism. I was born and brought up in Bangladesh. Currently working in the USA. For my current project I am investigating how historical narratives are reconfigured and historical figures and artefacts are strategically appropriated by social and political actors to secure vote banks and drive/ boost wedges between communities in South Asia. During my secondary literature review, I came across some of your works in the caravan about Hindu nationalist activities in Assam. This was very educational and helpful for me. I was hoping I could talk to you over phone/zoom/skype/WhatsApp/WebEx or any other platform of your choice at a mutually convenient time about this and other issues related to identity politics in Assam. I believe my project will greatly benefit from your knowledge about the situation. I am happy to share more information about the project and data collection methods. Thank you for considering my request. I look froward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Tahmina
Thank You for being a voice of Rationality, particularly for the people of Assam.