Q. Marak

Prof. Q. Marak

0364 2307930 - 3110

qmarak@gmail.com

Faculty members

Prof. Q. Marak

Designation: Professor

Department: Anthropology

Qualifications:

MA, PhD

Areas of Interest/Specialization: Heritage studies, Northeast Indian prehistory, Food studies

Experience:
(a) Post-graduate teaching: 19 years
(b) Research: 20 years

Awards:

  • Associateship at IIAS, Shimla (2020)
  • ICSSR post-doctoral initiation programme (2012).
  • UGC-NET and JRF (2000).
  • University Gold medal (2000).
  • Renuka Das memorial Award (2000) for highest marks scorer at MA/MSc under Gauhati University.
  • Dhiren Sharma memorial Award (1997) for best graduate under Gauhati University.
  • B. S. Guha medal (1997) for highest marks scorer in Anthropology Honours (BA/BSc) under Gauhati University.
  • Janaki Devi Sharma prize (1997) for highest marks scorer (BA/BSc/Bcom) amongst women candidates under Gauhati University.

Phd Awarded:

  1. Dr. Akoijam Milan Meitei (2018): Megaliths and Jaintia Culture: A study in archaeological anthropology
  2. Dr. Gangotri Bhuyan (2019): Subsistence Pattern of the Prehistoric Populations of Garo Hills, Meghalaya
  3. Dr. Doisiammoi Suantak (2019): Substance Abuse and Women: An Anthropological study among the Vaipheis of Manipur
  4. Dr. Chumchano Humtsoe (2020): Eating Out: A Study of Emerging Popular Culture in Urban Nagaland
  5. Dr. Vilhousienuo Neli (2021): Rice culture among the Angami Nagas
  6. Dr. Seigoumang Chongloi (2022): A study on Traditional Music and Musical instruments of the Thadou-Kukis of Manipur
  7. Dr. Gibson Marak (2022): Women as religious leaders: An anthropological study of Christian Garos
  8. Dr. Gibson Marak (2022): Women as religious leaders: An anthropological study of Christian Garos

Research Projects

  1. Revisiting the Life and Works of Verrier Elwin in North East India: Digital Preservation and Propagation of Elwin’s Work. (2021-2022). Funding Agency: NEC. Status: Ongoing. Role: Co-PI.
  2. Documentation of Endangered Material Culture of the Garos of Meghalaya. (2017-2018). Funding agency: Anthropological Survey of India. Status: Complete. Role: PI.
  3. The Art of Pottery Making in Garo Hills, Meghalaya. (2015-16). Funding agency: Sangeet Natak Akademi. Status: Complete. Role: PI.
  4. Art, Artisans, and Culture: A Study on Garo Traditional Craftsmanship. (2014-2015). Funding agency: Sangeet Natak Akademi. Status: Complete. Role: PI.
  5. Rice and Aba Chaa: Stories and Practices from Garo Hills, Meghalaya. (2013-2014). Funding Agency: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. Status: Complete. Role: PI.
  6. Nude Images of Northeast India: Interpreting Verrier Elwin's Ethnographic (2012 to 2013). Funding Agency: ICSSR-NERC. Status: Complete. Role: PI.
     

Publications

(a) Books

  1. Marak, Q. and S. Chaudhuri. (2020). The Cultural Heritage of Meghalaya. New Delhi: IGRMS & Manohar.
  2. Marak, Q., G. Bhuyan, A. M. Meitei & T. D. Sangma. (2017). Misimagre: A Prehistoric factory Site from Garo Hills. New Delhi: Research India Publication.
  3. Marak, Q. (2019). Megalithic Traditions of Northeast India. New Delhi: Concept.
  4. Marak, Q. (2016). Doing Autoethnography. New Delhi: Serials Pub.
  5. Marak, Q. (2014). Food Politics: Studying Food, Identity, and Difference among the Garos.  New Castle: CSP.

(b) Papers

  1. Yekha-u and Marak, Q. (2021). Elicura: The ‘feasts of merit’ shawl of the Chakhesang Naga of Northeast India. The Oriental Anthropologist, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/0972558X21990790
  2. Marak, Q. (2019). Wooden structures as megalith: A reappraisal. Anthropology and Ethnology Open Access Journal, 2(3): DOI: 10.23880/aeoaj-16000122.
  3. Marak, Q., Bhuyan, G. (2019). Prehistoric tools from Misimagre, Northeast India: A typo-technological study. Anthropology and Ethnology Open Access Journal, 2(2): DOI: 10.23880/aeoaj-16000118.
  4. Marak, Q and A.A.Ashraf. (2018). Short Axe typology: A morphometric study with special reference to Garo Hills Lithics. The Oriental Anthropologist, 18(2): 209-222.
  5. Marak, Q. (2018). Soul loss and retrieval: Understanding the Mi Amua ritual of the Garos. Journal of Indian Anthropological Society, 53(3): 219-233.
  6. Marak, Q. (2018). Rice from A'ba: Stories, Rituals and Practices of the Garos. South Asian Anthropologist, 18(2): 161-175.
  7. Tangvah, K and Q. Marak. (2015). The Making of Nungbi Ham: A Study of Nungbi Pottery of Manipur, India. Humankind, 11: 145-64.
  8. Doisiammoi and Q. Marak. (2015-16). Drug Ethnography: Problems of Doing Fieldwork among tribal women in Manipur, India.  Bulletin of the Department of Anthropology, Gauhati University, XVII: 40-49.
  9. Meitei, A. M. and Q. Marak. (2016). Giant Stones: A Study on the Significance of Menhir(s) in Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, India. Nrtattv: The Anthropology, 8(10)/9(11): 33-48.
  10. Meitei, A. M and Q. Marak. (2015). A Study of Traditional Mortuary Practices of the Jaintias of Meghalaya, India. Journal of Indo-Pacific Archaeology, 39: 74-80. ISSN: 2375-0510.
  11. Meitei, A. M and Q. Marak. (2014-15). Megalithic Burial rites of the Niamtre Jaintias of Meghalaya. Bulletin of the Department of Anthropology,  Gauhati University, Vol. XVI: 30-41.
  12. Meitei, A. M and Q. Marak. (2013). The Megalithic Burial Tradition in Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya. Frontier Anthropology, 2:19-34.
  13. Marak, Q. (2015). Gendering the Hearth: Studying Aspects of Femininity and Masculinity among the Garos of India. Man and Society, XII (Winter): 41-55.
  14. Marak, Q. (2016). The Gendered Paradoxes of the First Born: An Auto-ethnographical Study of a Matrilineal Society. Oriental Anthropologist, 16(1): 121-131. 
  15. Marak, Q. (2015). Carcasses on Display: A Study of Butchery Stalls in Shillong, Meghalaya, India. Anthropos India, 1(2): 53-71.
  16. Marak, Q. (2014). Much more than taste: The story of kharchi and its usage among the Garos. Bulletin of the Department of Anthropology, Dibrugarh University, 42: 53-66.
  17. Neli, V and Q. Marak. (2015). Brewing Rice Beer: Traditional Knowledge Systems of the Adi Padams of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Bulletin of Department of Anthropology Gauhati University, 2014-2015. Vol. XV:67-77.
  18. Chongloi, S and Q. Marak. (2015). Rang Taiba's Stone: A Study of a Megalith in Maram Khullen, Manipur, India. Antrocom, 11(1):97-104.
  19. Marak, Q. (2015). Writing the 'Self': Introducing Autoethnography. Man in India, 95 (1): 1-10. ISSN: 0025- 1569.
  20. Marak, Q. (2015). A 'Native' and an Anthropologist: Dilemma and Ethics of Doing Fieldwork. Man in India, 95 (1):  133-143. ISSN: 0025- 1569.
  21. Bhuyan, G and Q. Marak. (2014). The Palaeolithic Stone Age Conundrum in North-East India: A Review. Nrtattv, The Anthropology, 4 (6): 67-81. ISSN: 2249-9830.
  22. Humtsoe, C and Q. Marak. (2014). Naga 'Ethnic' Food: History, Traditional Knowledge System and Cultural Meanings. Nrtattv, The Anthropology, 4 (6): 82-92. ISSN: 2249-9830.
  23. Kithan, L. N and Q. Marak. (2014). Child Rearing Practices of the Bhoi-Khasis of Umden, Ri-Bhoi District of Meghalaya. Voice of Intellectual Man, 4(1): 25-36. ISSN: 2231-6914.
  24. Marak, Q. (2014). Indigenous Rice: Development Initiatives and Change among the Garos of Assam, India. South Asian Anthropologist, 14(1): 59-67. ISSN: 0257-7348.
  25. John, S. S. and Q. Marak. (2013). The Aravan Cult: Living Traditions of Transgenders in Tamil Nadu. Journal of Indian Anthropological Society, 48(3): 231-244. ISSN: 0019-4387.
  26. Marak, Q. (2013). Prehistoric Migrations and India's North-east: the Garo and Khasi Hills Dilemma. Journal of the Asiatic Society, LV (3&4): 72-94. ISSN: 0368-3308.
  27. Marak, Q. (2012). Megaliths, Types, and Its Living Traditions among the Jaintias of Northeastern India. Journal of Indo-Pacific Archaeology, 32: 45-53. ISSN: 1835-1794.
  28. Marak, Q and J. Kalita. (2013). Indigenous Knowledge Systems associated with Hunting among the Padams of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Antrocom Online Journal of Anthropology, 9(2): 237-45. ISSN: 1973-2880.
  29. Meitei, A. M. and Q. Marak. (2013). A Study on Megalithic Burial Stones from Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. South Asian Anthropologist, 13(2): 157-66. ISSN: 0257-7348.
  30. Soanes, R and Q. Marak. (2013). The clan system in a matrilineal society: Its organization, importance and function. The Oriental Anthropologist, 13 (1): 99-110. ISSN: 0972-558X.
  31. Marak, Q. (2012).  Are Daughters Preferred in a Matrilineal Society? A Case Study of the Garos from Assam. The Anthropologist, 14 (1): 49-56. ISSN: 0972- 0073.
  32. Marak, Q. (2012).  A Note on Kinship Studies in North-East India. South Asian Anthropologist, 12 (1): 61-69. ISSN: 0257-7348.
  33. Marak, Q. (2012). Culture Change and Continuity among the Tribal Communities in North-East India: An Overview. Journal of Indian Anthropological Society, 47(2): 153-166. ISSN: 0019-4387.
  34. Marak, Q and Jangkhomang.  (2012). Matriliny and megalithic practices of the Jaintias of Meghalaya. Indian Anthropologist, 42(2):67-82. ISSN: 0970-0927.
  35. Marak, Q and Jangkhomang. (2012). The "Sacred Stones" of Nangbah: A Post-Processual Cultural Interpretation of Megaliths. Journal of Social Sciences, Humanities and Literature, 1 (2): 62-77. ISSN: 2277-842X.
  36. Marak, Q and S. Ghimire. (2012). How Sacred are Khloo Blai? A Look into the Pnar Jaintia Concept of Sacred Groves. The Eastern Anthropologist, 65(3): 339-354. ISSN: 0012-8686.
  37. Marak, Q. (2011). Changing Dimensions of Rice in Garo Foodways. Voice of Intellectual Man, 1(1): 1-12. ISSN: 2231-6914.
  38. Marak, Q. (2011). Revisiting Playfair’s The Garos: A Century Later. Man in India, 91 (3 & 4): 517-29. ISSN: 0025- 1569.
  39. Marak, Q. (2011). Stone Age Archaeology in the Garo Hills: Some Issues. Proceedings of North East India History Association, 31st Session, pg. 393-404.
  40. Marak, Q. (2010). Jagua Nakam: a look into its properties, and its revelations on Garo Lifeways. Antrocom Online Jounal of Anthropology, 6(2): 227-34. ISSN: 1973-2880.
  41. Marak, Q. (2010). Sex Typing of Children's Tasks: A Study among the Garos of Assam. The Oriental Anthropologist, 10(2): 301-10. ISSN: 0972-558X.
  42. Marak, Q and T. Khawzawl. (2010). Role and Status of Sakachep Women: A Look into their Self-Help Groups. South Asian Anthropologist, 10(2): 153-58. ISSN: 0257-7348.
  43. Marak, Q. (2009). Comfort Food: Its Significance in Garo Society. Bulletin of the Department of Anthropology Dibrugarh University, 37: 145-48. ISSN: 0976- 2264.
  44. Marak, Q. (2006). Discipline in Child Rearing Process: A Case Study among the Garos of Assam. In A. K. Haldar and P. K. Bhowmick (ed). Societies and Culture in India, Vol I (Tribal Issues). Kolkata: R. N. Bhattacharya. pp. 295-304.
  45. Marak, Q. (2005). The Use of Analogy in the Interpretation of Prehistoric Cultures. A Study among the Garos of Garo Hills, Meghalaya. South Asian Anthropologist, 5 (2): 167-72.
  46. Medhi, B. K and Q. Marak. (2005). Some beliefs connected with child-rearing among the Garos of Assam. Man in India, 85(3-4): 283-89.
  47. Marak, Q. (2004). Supernatural beliefs connected with Childbirth among the Garos of Assam. The Oriental Anthropologist, 4(2): 186-90.
  48. Hazarika, R and Q. Marak. (2002). Subsistence Strategies of the Garos of Garo Hills. Journal of North East India Council of Social Science Research, 26 (1): 35-43.
  49. Medhi, B.K and Q. Marak. (2002). Child-Rearing Practices among the Garo of Assam in Matrilineal Context. The Eastern Anthropologist, 55 (1): 81-87.
  50. Medhi, B. K and Q. Marak. (2001). Child Rearing Practice among the Plain Dwelling Garos of Goalpara District, Assam. Man and Life, 27 (3 & 4): 213-22.

(c) Book Chapters:

  1. Marak, Q. (2020). Pottery technology in Garo Hills: An ethnoarchaeological interpretation. In S. Sarkar & N. Y. Modwel (Eds.), Oral Traditions, Continuities and Transformations in Northeast India and Beyond. Routledge India.
  2. Marak, Q and G. Bhuyan. (2020). Prehistoric tool-making in Garo Hills. In Q. Marak and S. K. Chaudhuri (Eds), The Cultural Heritage of Meghalaya. Bhopal/New Delhi: IGRMS/Manohar, 31-46.
  3. Marak, Q (2020). Women and clay: A study on the craft of pot-making among Garos.  In Q. Marak and S. K. Chaudhuri (Eds), The Cultural Heritage of Meghalaya. Bhopal/New Delhi: IGRMS/Manohar,443-456.  
  4. Marak, Q. (2019). Fleshing the skeleton: Understanding prehistoric cultures in Garo Hills. In S, Sengupta and J. Borah (eds.), Dimensions of Anthropological research in Northeast India. Delhi: Gyan Publishing, 247-70.
  5. Marak, Q. (2018). Food and Gender: A case study of the matrilineal Garos. In  G. Pfeffer & N. Nath (eds.),  Empirical Anthropology: Issues of Academic Friends and Friends in the Field. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Co., 86-102.
  6. Marak, Q. (2018). Living megalithic tradition in Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. In P. Chenna Reddy (ed.), History, Culture and Archaeological Studies: Recent Trend. Commemoration volume to Prof. M. L. K. Murthy. VolumeI. Delhi: B R Publishing Corporation, 291-300.
  7. Marak, Q. and J. Kalita. (2017). Hunting Ethnography: Narratives of Hunting from Bolung Village, Arunachal Pradesh. In S. Sengupta (Ed.), Contemporary Anthropological Research in Eastern and North Eastern India. New Delhi: Gyan, 101-114.
  8. Marak, Q. (2017). People, Societies and Cultures in Meghalaya: A review of anthropological researches from the beginning to recent times. In K. Jose and B. Das (Eds.), Social Science Researches in North East India. Guwahati: DVS, 288-312.
  9. Marak, Q. (2017). Of Gods and Goddesses: Agricultural Rituals of the Garos of Meghalaya. In R. Khongsdier and S. Sengupta (Eds.), People of North East India: Bio-Cultural Dimensions. Delhi: Kalpaz Publications, 183-200.
  10. Marak, Q. (2015). ‘Keeping House' and 'Herding Cows': Games played by Garo children. Contemporary Society: Tribal Studies, Vol. 10: Tribal Children and their Childhood. Ed. D. K. Behera. New Delhi: Concept Pub., pg. 196-210.
  11. Marak, Q. (2015). Megaliths and Living Cultural Traditions. In S. Sengupta (ed.), Explorations in Anthropology of North East India. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House, pp. 31-51. 
  12. Marak, Q. (2015). Preservatives. The Sage Encyclopaedia of Food Issues, Volume 3. Ed. Ken Albala. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.pg.1158-1161.
  13. Marak, Q. (2015). Pest Control. The Sage Encyclopaedia of Food Issues, Volume 3. Ed. Ken Albala. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.pg. 1130-1133.
  14. Marak, Q. (2014). Experimenting with Stone Tools: The Garo Neoliths. In T. Jamir and M. Hazarika (eds), 50 Years After Daojali Hading: Emerging Perspectives in the Archaeology of Northeast India. New Delhi: Research India Press, pg. 182-191. ISBN: 978-81-89131-90-6.
  15. Marak, Q. (2013). Cultural Ecology of Shifting Cultivation in Garo Hills, Meghalaya. In S. K. Singh and S. A. Lyngdoh (eds.), Linguistic Ecology: Meghalaya. Guwahati: EBH Publication, pg. 277-90. ISBN: 978-93-80261-96-6.
  16. Marak, Q. (2012). Megaliths of North East India. In T. B. Subba (ed.), North-East India: A Handbook of Anthropology. New Delhi: Orient Blackswan, pp. 34-53. ISBN: 978-81-250-4555-7.
  17. Marak, Q. (2006). Discipline in Child Rearing Process: A Case Study among the Garos of Assam. In A. K. Haldar and P. K. Bhowmick (ed). Societies and Culture in India, Vol I (Tribal Issues). Kolkata: R. N. Bhattacharya. pp. 295-304.

Lectures and Papers presented
a) Conference/Seminar/Webinar:

  1. Panellist on ‘Recent Advances on Prehistoric Archaeology’ organised by United Indian Anthropology Forum on 26.12.2020. Topic: “Unearthing a Neolithic factory site in Garo Hills: Going beyond the tools”.
  2. Presented a paper titled "Indigenous Crops today: Coping strategies of Tribal societies" in  a two-day webinar ‘Food, Health & Culture in Contemporary times: Exploring emergent areas and marginalised voices’ organized by the Dept. of Anthropology & Tribal studies, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, West Bengal held on 23rd-24th September 2020. 
  3.  “Understanding ethnoarchaeology” in a webinar titled ‘National Webinar series 01 on Archaeological Anthropology’ organised by Pragjyotish College, Guwahati from 1st to 4th August 2020.
  4. "Rice and Aba Cha'a" in a National webinar titled ‘Paddy as Cultural resource’ by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi on 19th May 2020.
  5. "Documentation, Dissemination and Ethics of doing Archaeological Research in Northeast India" at the Two-Day International Seminar on ‘Concept of Cultural Heritage Management and its Significance across the Global Ethnic Groups’ on 19-20, February 2019 at The Asiatic Society, Kolkata.
  6. "Gods and Goddesses of the Fields: Understanding Rituals and Practices of the Garos". National Seminar on ‘Cultural Heritage of Meghalaya’ held on 21st & 22nd March 2017, organised by Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS), Bhopal at IGRMS, Bhopal.
  7. "The Relevance of Mahari: A Look at the Present Status of Garo matriliny". National seminar on ‘North East Since 1947 with Special Reference to Society, Economy and Polity in Meghalaya’  held on 16th & 17th March 2017 organised by Department of Political Science, NEHU, Shillong and Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change, Guwahati at ICSSR-NERC conference Hall, NEHU Campus.
  8. "The Language of the Spirits: Understanding its Symbolism through the Garo World View". National Workshop on ‘Translating the Oral Resources of some Oral Communities in North-East India’ organised by the Departments of English and Khasi, NEHU, Shillong; ICSSR-NERC, Shillong and SHABDANA, the Centre for Translation, Sahitya Akademi, Bangalore on 24th & 25th February, 2017 at New Guest House, NEHU, Shillong.
  9. "Prehistory of Jaintia Hills". National Symposium on ‘Archaeological Researches in Northeast India: Recent Trends and Future Prospects’ on 25th November 2016 organised by Archaeological Survey of India, Guwahati Circle and Department of Archaeology, Cotton College State University at Vivekananda Kendra, Guwahati.
  10. "Megaliths of Jaintia Hills: A Living Tradition". National Seminar on ‘Recent Trends in Archaeology of Assam: From Prehistoric period onwards’ at Haflong Government College, on 20th November 2016 on the occasion of World Heritage Week, 2016 (19th November to 25th November 2016). It was organized by the Directorate of Archaeology, Assam in collaboration with Haflong Government College, Haflong, Dima Hasao District of Assam.
  11. "Of the People and by the People: Working towards a Bottom-UP Cultural Model for Sustainability". International Colloquium on ‘Value-based Approach to Sustainable Development’ organized by International Centre for North East Studies, Synod College, Shillong from 15th-17th November 2016, at Synod College, Shillong.
  12. "Intangible Cultural Heritage". UGC-HRDC 36th Orientation Programme on 20th June 2016. 
  13. "Women and Clay: Studying the craft of Pottery among the Garos of Meghalaya". National seminar on ‘Gender and Folklore in Northeast India: Beliefs and Practices’ organised by Department of Cultural and Creative Studies, NEHU, Shillong on 30-31st March 2016.
  14. "Priest as Medium: A case study of the Mi Amua Ritual in West Garo Hills, Meghalaya". National seminar on ‘Oral and Textual traditions of North East India’ organized by AITS, Rajiv Gandhi University and IGNCA, New Delhi at AITS, RGU on 28-30 March, 2016.
  15.  “Pottery Traditions of Garo Hills, Meghalaya: Present-Past Continuum”. International Conference on ‘Oral Traditions: Continuity and Transformations in Northeast India and Southeast Asia’ organized by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and Ambedkar University, Delhi at Shillong from 1st - 4th February, 2016.
  16. "In Health and Sickness: Exploring the Concept of Soul in Disease Causation among the Garos". National Seminar on ‘Folk Medicine and Traditional Healing in India: Theory and Practice’ organized by the Department of Cultural and Creative Studies, NEHU, Shillong on 26-27th March, 2015.
  17. "An Exploration of Rock Art in the Outskirts of Guwahati City, Assam" in the National Workshop on Multi-Disciplinary Survey, research, and Documentation of Rock Art in North-East India held on 1st and 2nd December 2014 at NEHU, Shillong. Organised by Department of Anthropology, NEHU and AITS, RGU, Itanagar in collaboration with Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.
  18. “Rice and Aba Chaa: Stories and Practices from Garo Hills, Meghalaya” in the National Workshop on Paddy Growing Cultures held at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi from 11th - 13th June 2014.
  19. “Mi Amua: A Study on Ritual Arts of the Garos of Meghalaya, India”. National Seminar on ‘People’s Art of North East India: History, Identity and Emerging Realities’ organised by IGRMS, Bhopal in collaboration with Department of Anthropology, Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) from 5th - 7th March 2014 at RGU campus.
  20. “Food Tasks and Food Allocation: A Case Study of a Matrilineal Society” in the IUAES Congress held from 5th - 10th August 2013 at Manchester University, UK.
  21. “Studying the Self: The Dilemma and Ethics of Doing Auto-Ethnography in the Native Context” in the IUAES Congress held from 5th - 10th August 2013 at Manchester University, UK.
  22. “The Loss of Inheritance: the Case of the Matrilineal Garos” in the National Seminar on ‘Socio-Political Dynamics in Northeast India’ organised by Political Science department, NEHU, Shillong on March 25-26, 2013 at ICSSR-NERC.
  23. "The Dilemma of Traditional Food: The Case of the Garos of Assam and Bangladesh" in the International seminar on ‘Trans-Border Communities and Cultures in Asia: Issues and Perspectives’ organised by Anthropological Survey of India in collaboration with IGRMS, Bhopal from 23rd - 25th Feb, 2013.
  24. “Displayed Carcasses: A Visual Impact of Shillong’s Butchery Stalls” in the Conference of Association of Social Anthropologists of the UK and Commonwealth held at JNU, New Delhi from 3rd - 6th April 2012.
  25. “The Sacred Stones of Nangbah: A Post-Processual Approach to Megaliths” in the International Symposium on Global Issues organized by Department of Anthropology, Delhi University from 1st to 3rd April, 2012.
  26. “Cultural Dynamics of Slash-and-Burn Cultivation: The Case of the Garos of Assam” in the International seminar on ‘Natural Resources and Rural Livelihoods among Tribes in Hilly Areas’, held in NEHU campus, Shillong organized by Department of Geography, NEHU Shillong from March 22-24, 2012.
  27. “Prehistoric Migrations in India’s North East: The Garo and Khasi Hills Dilemma” in the International seminar on ‘Human Origin and Population Migrations’ held in Kolkata organized by Asiatic Society of Bengal on 7th -9th December 2011.
  28. “The Garo Hearth: Deconstructing Concepts of Femininity and Masculinity among the Garos” in the National Seminar on ‘Feminization of Culture’ organized by ICSSR-NERC, Shillong and AITS, RGU at ICSSR-NERC on 26-27, April 2011.
  29. “Traditional versus Non-Traditional Rice: Issues Developing due to Government Initiatives” in the National Seminar on ‘Development and Ecology’ organized by Department of Sociology, NEHU, Shillong on 21-22, March 2011 at NEHU, Shillong.
  30. “Changing Dimensions of Rice in Garo Foodways” in the Inter-Congress in Anthropology organized by INCAA and AnSI, Kolkata on 21-23, February 2011 at AnSI, Kolkata. 
  31. “Stone Age Archaeology in the Garo Hills: Some Issues and Prospects” in the 31st Annual Session of NEIHA held on 14-16, February 2011 at Don Bosco College, Tura.
  32. “Use of Analogy in the Interpretation of Prehistoric Cultures: A Study among the Garos of Garo Hills, Meghalaya” in the 1st Indian Anthropological Congress organized by INCAA at Department of Anthropology, NEHU, Shillong on 25-27, March 2004.
  33. “Prehistoric Cultural Antiquities of Garo Hills - its importance and Significance” in the National Seminar on ‘Cultural Mapping of Garo Hills’ held at Department of Garo, NEHU, Tura Campus, organized by NEHU on 23-24, May 2003.

b) Chairing of Panel

  1. Chaired a session titled Communities: Tribes, Castes and Peasants at the National seminar in Contemporary Anthropology and Northeast India and 48th Annual Conference of the Indian Anthropological Society, Kolkata at Department of Anthropology, Cotton university, Guwahati from November 1-3, 2018.
  2. Chaired the session on “Ethnicity and Environment” in the National Seminar on North East Umbrella: Environment-Cultural Interaction and the Tribes in the Region on 29- -30th May 2014, held in Union Christian College, Umiam Khwan, Meghalaya, sponsored by ICSSR-NERC and UGC.
  3. Discussant for panel LD03 “Health and emerging regional demographic trends” in 6 day IUAES Congress held from 5-10th August 2013 at Manchester University, UK
  4. Chaired panel G05: “Doing Autoethnography: A Practice of Realist Ethnography or Rewriting Memory?” in 6 day IUAES Congress held from 5-10th August 2013 at Manchester University, UK.

c) Invited/ Special Lectures

  1. Special lecture in the Debating Heritage series on 5.2.2021 for National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore. Topic: "From sacred to profane: Changing nature of rice".
  2. Special lecture in the Herd and Harvest series of Sharma Centre for Heritage Education, India on 30.1.2021. Topic: "Early agriculture in Garo Hills: Clues from ethnography".
  3. Special lecture titled "Prehistoric dwellers of Garo Hills: Making sense of sites, tools and structures" in the National Special Lecture series held by Department of Anthropology, Vivekananda College for women, Kolkata on 26th September 2020.
  4. Keynote speaker in a webinar titled "Food as Identity" jointly organised by KRB Girls College, Guwahati and INTACH Kamrup Chapter on 31st August 2020.
  5. Special lecture on “Stories in stone” in interactive session with students of Arya Vidyapeeth College,  Guwahati on 18th August 2020.
  6. Resource person for IGNOU Online lecture series: Four lectures delivered - “Prehistoric Chronology” on 10th June 2020, “Prehistoric stone tool typology” on 17th June, 2020, “Prehistoric tool technology” on 24th June, 2020, and “Living megaliths” on 23.7.2020.
  7. Invited lecture “Prehistoric archaeology is dead! From rhetoric to practice” in the National seminar in Contemporary Anthropology and Northeast India and 48th Annual Conference of the Indian Anthropological Society, Kolkata at department of Anthropology, Cotton university, Guwahati from November 1-3,2018.
  8. Resource person at the Capacity Building Programme on Cultural Resource Management at RGU, Itanagar organized by AITS in collaboration with IGNCA on 9th-12th February, 2015. Presented two special lectures “Salvaging the Past: CRM and Archaeology” and “CRM, Public and Anthropology”.
  9. Presented a talk on “Garo culture” in the Regional Programme on Tribal and Folk Culture as a part of 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Swami Vivekananda on 11-3-2013 organised by Ramakrishna Mission, Shillong. 
  10. Resource person in the seminar on Folklore of Meghalaya organized by All India Radio Shillong at Don Bosco Youth Centre Shillong on 9th March 2012. Presented a lecture on “Rongpra: The Story and Practice”.
  11. Delivered video lectures in IGNOU (New Delhi) on 31st January 2012. Delivered two lectures titled, “Neolithic Cultures in India” and “Dating Methods in Anthropology”.

Any other
(a) Organised workshops/seminars etc:

  1. Workshop on Living Traditions of Pottery in Garo Hills, Meghalaya on 8-9th December, 2015 at District Museum, Tura in collaboration with District Museum, Tura and supported by ICSSR-NERC, Shillong.
  2. National workshop on Lithics: Issues and Problems on 3-5th November, 2011. Organized by Department of Anthropology, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, and sponsored by NEHU, Shillong, NEC, Shillong and ICSSR-NERC Shillong. 
  3. National Workshop on Multi-Disciplinary Survey, Research, and Documentation of Rock Art in North-East India held on 1st and 2nd December 2014 at NEHU, Shillong. Organised by Department of Anthropology, NEHU and AITS, RGU, Itanagar in collaboration with Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.

(b) Association with other bodies:

  1. IGNOU (New Delhi) for preparation of BA/MA course modules, video lectures and online lectures.
  2. Editorial board member of different International and National journals of repute

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