Review
‘In From Frontiers to the Heartland, Deb and Barooah bring to light the Sangh Parivar’s decades long involvement in India’s Northeast. From relief efforts to healthcare and education, and helping to formalize indigenous religious traditions instead of imposing on them, it gradually became a part and parcel of the Northeast’s socio-cultural fabric and political evolution. This important new book is a must read.’
—Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
‘India’s Northeast is both geographically and culturally a complex place. The last 100 years have dramatically transformed the demographics of the region. This was not merely the colonial experience but also the post-Independence continuation of external influences that fed insurgency, migration and mass conversion. This book is a remarkable first attempt to document from primary eye witness accounts the relentless efforts by the Sangh Parivar to help traditional, indigenous communities push back against these threats.’
—Sanjeev Sanyal, Bestselling Author and Economist
‘A brilliant, bold and insightful study, From Frontier to Heartland provides unparalleled scholarship into the Sangh Parivar’s evolution in one of India’s most ethnically diverse regions. Rouhin Deb and Nabaarun Barooah not only provide a fresh understanding of the RSS’s role in shaping the Northeast but also challenge prevailing academic biases, positioning itself as a critical work in Indian political scholarship redefining the discourse for years to come.’
—Anand Ranganathan, Author and Scientist
About the Author
Rouhin Deb is chief economist at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Government of Assam. With a passion for economics, finance and policy, he frequently writes columns in national dailies such as The Indian Express, Financial Express, and The Hindu Business Line, among others. Deb completed his PhD in business policy from IIM Shillong and served as a visiting professor at the Development Management Institute, Patna. He was formerly a student at Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya in Arunachal Pradesh.
Nabaarun Barooah is a Sir Jadunath Sarkar Fellow at the Foundation for Indian Historical and Cultural Research (FIHCR). An author and political commentator based in Guwahati, he completed his graduation and post-graduation from Ashoka University. From 2021 to 2022, he served as assistant research executive in the Chief Minister’s Office, Assam. He is a regular contributor to national publications like The Indian Express, The Hindu Business Line and Swarajya.