Aizawl, October 2026: Higher and Technical Education Minister Dr Vanlalthlana on Tuesday released Development and the Tribal Question in India, published by Cambridge University Press, at BSI Hall in Khatla, Aizawl.
The book has been edited by Dr Roluahpuia, Associate Professor at IIT Roorkee, and Professor (Retd.) Virginius Xaxa, Visiting Professor at the Institute for Human Development, New Delhi.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Vanlalthlana, who also holds the School Education portfolio, said it was essential to understand the true meaning of tribal identity before discussing genuine development.
He observed that tribal communities had long been perceived as backward, inhabitants of remote areas and obstacles to development. Large infrastructure projects, including highways, dams, mining operations and industrial establishments, were often justified in the name of public welfare, resulting in tribal communities losing their land and forests, he said.
Highlighting regional differences in the development of tribal communities, the minister noted that tribal populations in central India continued to face considerable disadvantages, while Mizoram and other northeastern states had witnessed significant progress.
However, he cautioned that development was also creating divisions within tribal communities. While a small section was accumulating wealth and power, many others continued to suffer. He stressed the need for collective efforts to address these growing inequalities.
Dr Vanlalthlana said the government was open to making effective use of specialised knowledge and research generated by higher educational institutions. He encouraged research scholars and academics to contribute to social transformation and ensure that their expertise and findings were used to inform government policymaking.
The book examines the impact of development on tribal communities across India. It provides a detailed account of the conditions of tribal populations in different parts of the country, benefits and provisions under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules of the Constitution, and the inequalities emerging within tribal societies as a consequence of development.
Following the book release, Dr Joseph K. Lalfakzuala, Assistant Professor at Government T. Romana College, conducted the subsequent session.
A panel discussion on themes drawn from the book was also held, featuring Dr Anthony Lalchhuanmawia, Guest Faculty at Pachhunga University College; Dr Kimi Colney, journalist and ICSSR Postdoctoral Fellow; and Dr B. Lalzarliana, Assistant Professor at Mizoram University.
