Speaker Insights from Libernium: Narratives, Boundaries, and Ethical Storytelling in Contemporary India

Written By: Joshya Mudaliar

Edited By: Nihilaa V M

The Libernium 2026 International Conference, held on 20 and 21 January 2026 at CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bannerghatta Road Campus, commenced with an inaugural session in the Main Auditorium. The inauguration began with a performance by the BRC Choir, setting a reflective and inclusive tone for the conference.

The opening addresses were delivered by Dr. Namrata Borkotoky, Assistant Professor, Department of Liberal Arts, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), and Dr. Embassy Lawbei, Assistant Professor, Department of Liberal Arts, CHRIST (Deemed to be University). In their remarks, they urged scholars and students to move beyond superficial stereotypes and engage meaningfully with the layered histories, social realities, and lived experiences of Northeast India. A solemn reference was made to the death of Angel Chakma, drawing attention to issues of marginalisation, justice, and institutional accountability. As part of the inaugural proceedings, saplings were presented to the dignitaries as a symbol of ecological responsibility, followed by traditional cultural performances from Nagaland that affirmed the region’s living heritage.

The Chief Guest, Smt. Lalrinpuii, Hon’ble Minister for Health, Social Welfare and Tribal Affairs, Women and Child Development, Government of Mizoram, reframed the Northeast as central rather than peripheral to India’s development discourse. Linking regional priorities to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, she described the Siliguri Corridor as a site of connectivity and emphasised that the Northeast is land linked rather than landlocked. She advocated an integrative model of development in which economic growth and ecological stewardship progress together, with local communities participating as active partners.

The address by Dr. Fr. Jose C. C., Vice Chancellor, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), reinforced the role of universities as spaces of dialogue, empathy, and critical engagement. Emphasising that the Northeast represents a mosaic of histories and knowledge systems rather than a mere geographical entity, he highlighted the responsibility of educational institutions in fostering social justice, ethical awareness, and human dignity. He noted that conferences such as Libernium enable students to move beyond textbook knowledge and engage critically with contemporary realities.

During the panel discussions, Ms. Patricia Mukhim, Editor, Shillong Times, journalist, author, and activist, stressed the importance of plurality, noting that the Northeast comprises over 238 distinct communities. She cautioned against broad national narratives that flatten internal diversity and render many groups invisible, calling instead for representations that recognise complexity and difference.

Prof. Joy Pachuau, Professor, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, offered a historical analysis of boundary making in the region. She explained that precolonial frontiers were fluid and shaped by shifting power relations, whereas colonial cartography imposed rigid borders that territorialised identities. She argued that this legacy continues to shape contemporary administrative practices and identity politics in the Northeast.

Prof. L. Lam Khan Piang, Professor of Sociology, University of Hyderabad, emphasised the centrality of local knowledge and community participation in sustainable development. Drawing from examples in conservation and village governance, he noted that externally imposed development models often fail to endure, and that sustainable change must be rooted in indigenous practices and local perspectives.

Mr. Sanjoy Hazarika, journalist, author, and activist, addressed the social consequences of misrepresentation, including everyday prejudice, migration pressures, and instances of hate crime. He highlighted the need for both behavioural change and institutional reform, citing grassroots initiatives such as rural boat clinics as examples of locally grounded responses to urgent community needs.

The film session, held as part of the conference programme, featured clips from Chilli Chicken and a discussion with Prateek Prajosh, filmmaker. Prajosh spoke about a research driven and collaborative approach to filmmaking that remains accountable to lived experience while navigating censorship and creative uncertainty. The discussion was joined by Dr. Anjan K. Behera, Dean, Tetso College, Nagaland, and Dr. Kekhronguu Dazo, Assistant Professor, Department of Liberal Arts, who framed cinema as a medium that provokes reflection, discomfort, and dialogue rather than offering closure. The session also highlighted the role of OTT platforms in circulating counter narratives and sustaining independent, socially engaged cinema.

Overall, Libernium 2026 demonstrated how policy, scholarship, and artistic practice can converge to reimagine Northeast India on its own terms. The discussions consistently underscored plurality, historical nuance, local participation, and ethical storytelling as essential foundations for genuine inclusion and sustainable development.