The Nepalis in Assam

This book is an attempt to highlight the predicament of the Indian Nepalis in Assam in the aftermath of the ‘Son of the Soil’ movements in the last two decades. It traces the cross-border movements of the Nepalis into Assam at various points of time in history and their strategies of adaptation, adjustments and assimilation in this land far away from home. Inspite of a long history of assimilation acceptance, the Nepali position had undergone significant changes in the 1980s leading to political insecurity and ethnic consciousness. The book argues that subsequent to the Assam Movement (1979-1985) and the Bodo Movement (1987-present times,) not only did the process of Nepali assimilation receive a severe setback but also led to a re-examination and subsequent assertion of Nepali identity in Assam for the first time in the post-colonial period. The study concludes on an introspective note assessing the losses and gains of migration and the present status of the Nepalis in Assam.