Nagaland is a landlocked state in the north-eastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south, and the Naga Self-Administered Zone of the Sagaing Region of Myanmar (Burma) to the east. Its capital city is Kohima and its largest city is the twin Chümoukedima–Dimapur. The state has an area of 16,579 square kilometres (6,401 sq mi) with a population of 1,980,602 as per the 2011 Census of India, making it one of the smallest states of India.
The United Nations defines community development as "a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems." It is a broad concept, applied to the practices of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens, and professionals to improve various aspects of communities, typically aiming to build stronger and more resilient local communities.
Kohima District is a district of the Indian state of Nagaland. It is the home of the Angami Nagas. As of 2011, it is the most populous district of Nagaland, with a population of 267,988, 45% of which is urban. The district is home to 13.55% of Nagaland's entire population. The administrative headquarters of the district is located at Kohima, the capital city of Nagaland. Kohima District is also the seventh-largest district in Nagaland with an area of 1,207 square kilometres (466 sq mi).
Phek District (pron:/ˈfɛk/) is a district in the Indian state of Nagaland. At 2,026 square kilometres (782 sq mi), the district is the seventh-most populous district in Nagaland and 596th most populous district in India with 163,418 inhabitants. The district is home to 8.26% population of Nagaland. The district headquarter is located at Phek, 120 kilometres from Kohima, the capital of Nagaland and the largest urban centre is Pfütsero.
Aruna Roy is an Indian social activist, professor, union organiser and former civil servant. She is the president of the National Federation of Indian Women and founder of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan.
The Chakhesangs are a major Naga ethnic group inhabiting the Northeast Indian state of Nagaland. Chakhesangs were previously known as the former Eastern Angami, now recognized as a separate ethnic group. The Chakhesangs are divided into two groups known as Chokri and Kuzhami. The name "Chakhesang" was created as an acronym from the names of three ethnic groups: the Chakrü (Chokri), Khezha (Kuzhami) and Southern Sangtam.
Sheela Patel is an activist and academic involved with people living in slums and shanty towns.
Deepalaya is an Indian non-governmental organization that aids the development of the urban and rural poor in India, with a focus on children. Founded in 1979, it is headquartered in Delhi. Deepalaya primarily serves the urban slums of Delhi, but also works on rural development in the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand. Deepalaya's focus is on sparking sustainable development from within a community. From 2009–2010, 23.18% of Deepalaya's total income came from donations and 52.37% from government grants. HSBC India also supports Deepalaya through donations and voluntary works. Deepalaya experienced US$236,741.42 in deficit for this period. Deepalaya was awarded Sat Paul Mittal Award of appreciation in 2018.
Sanjoy Ghose was an Indian rural development activist known for his pioneering contributions to community health and development media. He is believed to have been killed by United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militants in the river island of Majuli on the Brahmaputra river around 4 July 1997.
Krishnammal Jagannathan is an Indian social activist from the state of Tamil Nadu. She and her husband, Sankaralingam Jagannathan, protested against social injustice and they are Gandhian activists. Her work includes upliftment of the landless, and the poor; she has sometimes fought against governments as well as big industries. She was earlier involved in the Indian independence movement, along with her husband, and was also a close associate of Vinoba Bhave. In 2008 she received the Right Livelihood Award, which she shared with her husband. She was given the Padma Bhushan; India's third highest civilian award; in 2020.
Temsüla Ao was an Indian poet, fiction writer, and ethnographer. She was a professor of English at North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) from where she retired in 2010. She served as the director of the North East Zone Cultural Centre between 1992 and 1997 on deputation from NEHU. She was awarded the Padma Shri award for her contribution to literature and education. Her book Laburnum For My Head received the Sahitya Akademi Award for English writing in the short story category. Her works have been translated into Assamese, Bengali, French, German, Hindi, and Kannada.
Suman Maruti Muthe is a social worker, women's activist and writer based in Nashik, Maharashtra in India who has been actively working in the areas of child welfare and women development, particularly in the tribal belts of Maharashtra, for more than 35 years. She has initiated and implemented several projects and guided women on various aspects such as child health care, women's rights and family counselling. In recognition of her work, she has been awarded by more than 50 organisations which include the State level award by Government of Maharashtra, India, "Ahilyadevi Holkar Puraskar" given for outstanding contribution to the society in the areas of women and child development. She has also authored many books on women, tribals, sociological topics and has published and presented them at Indian and International events. Suman Muthe is married to Maruti Muthe, retired Divisional Forest Officer and has a son, Pankaj Muthe and a daughter Late Capt. Rashmi Muthe.
Human rights issues in northeast India have been widely reported in the press and by human rights activists. Northeast India refers to the north-easternmost region of India consisting of the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura, as well as parts of northern West Bengal.
Mülhüpra Vero (1934–2020) was an Indian politician and the first member of parliament from among the Naga people. He was the recipient of the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, in 2006 for his contribution to the social work.
Srilatha Batliwala, a social activist, advocate of women's rights, scholar, and author of many books on empowerment of women is from Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. From the later part of the 1970s she has been engaged in linking "grassroots activism, advocacy, teaching, research, training," obtaining grants, and works of scholarly nature.
Dolly Kikon is an Indian anthropologist and author from Nagaland. She is a Professor at the Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz. She was previously Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Melbourne and a senior research advisor at the Australia India Institute, engaging in research and policy initiatives between India and Australia. She serves on the Council of Advisors for The India Forum.
Chizami is a village in the Phek District of the Indian state of Nagaland. It is a small village that falls under the North-Eastern region of India. The village has witnessed a revolution in terms of environmental protection & socioeconomic reforms for almost a decade. At present, Chizami is today visited by young generation from neighboring areas such as Kohima to complete their internships in the Chizami model of development.
Shruti Nagvanshi is an Indian women's and child's rights activist and an advocate for marginalized groups in India, including the untouchable caste known as Dalit and rural women. She is one of the founding members of People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) and a founder of Savitri Bai Phule Mahila Panchayat, a women’s forum. She has worked with several other projects to empower minorities.
Seno Tsuhah is a primary school teacher and Indigenous social activist from the Chakhesang Naga community in Chizami, Nagaland. She is recognised in Northeast India for her work on gender justice and sustainable farming; she has been associated with the feminist organisation, North East Network (NEN), for over twenty years.
