A veteran scholar, and a cultural activist, Dr Teron is a pioneering Karbi who dedicated his life’s cause to the promotion, preservation and documentation of the Karbi culture. With a BA (History) from Diphu Govt. College, Diphu under Gauhati University, Assam, India, he was awarded the Honorary Doctorate degree by Gauhati University for his invaluable contribution to his community and the society as a whole. During his exploration of life, he served in various capacities including as the President/General Secretary of the Karbi Cultural Society (KCS)/Karbi Youth Festival (KYF) from 1978 to 2015. He was also elected as Member of Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council for a 5 year term (1989-1996) and to Assam Legislative Assembly for a term (2001-2005). Presently he is the founder Director of ‘Centre for Karbi Studies’ (CKS) since its inception in March, 2015.
He has authored and edited several books and journals contributing to a wide array of authentic, scholarly and well researched documentation. He has mentored many young minds to develop critical thinking and understanding and to know the Karbi culture without any frills.
He is an institution in himself, who is as inspiring and motivating as his passion for work. An evening conversation over tea with Dr Teron is an enrichment worth a zillion hours.
Academic Activities –
Books Edited, Authored
1. Karbi History: Past and Present 2020 ISBN: 81-8324-966-3; Edited by Vulli Dhanaraju & Dharamsing Teron & Published and Printed by Krishan Mittal for MittalPublications, 4594/9, Daryaganj, New Delhi110002, India
2. Hills Are Alive (Coffee Table Book) – 2018 ISBN: 978-93-85063-21-3 Edited by Dharamsing Teron and Roselyn Taropi & Published by Department of Tourism, KarbiAnglong Autonomous Council, Diphu. Printed at Genesis Printers and Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Guwahati
3. Exploring Differences, Recording Change – The Karbisof Assam (2017) ISBN: 978-81-933761-4-0 Authors – Melvil Pereira, Director, NESRC, Guwahati DharamsingTeron, Jyotikona Chetia & Maggie Katharpi Published by North Eastern Social Research Centre, Jagriti (2nd Floor), Arunodoi Path, GMCH Road, Guwahati and Printed at Bhabani Offset Private Limited
4. “The Crossroad and Other Translated Karbi Stories” (June 2016) ISBN: 978-93-80247-71-7 Edited by Dharamsing Teron with Roselyn Taropi, Linso Timungpiand Kisong Terang. Published by the Department of Information and Public Relations, Karbi AnlongAutonomous Council, Diphu in Association with AngikPrakashan, Chancellor Commercial Building, Pan Bazar, Guwahati.
5. “In Search of the Drongo and Other Stories” (KarbiStudies, Vol. 4) August 2014 ISBN: 978-93-80247-20-5 Edited by Dharamsing Teron with Kabeen Teronpi, KacheTeronpi & Valentina Teronpi Published by Assam Book Hive, Chancellor Commercial Building, Pan Bazar, Guwahati & Printed at North East Printers, North Sarania, Lalmati, Guwahati
6. “Folktales from the Fringe” (Karbi Studies, Vol.3) December 2012, ISBN: 978-93-80247-00-7 Compiled and Edited by Dharamsing Teron & Sikari Tisso Published by Assam Book Hive, Chancellor Commercial Building, Pan Bazar, Guwahati & Printed at North East Printers, North Sarania, Lalmati, Guwahati
7. “Memories, Myths, Metaphors” (Karbi Studies, Vol.1, Revised and Enlarged 2 nd Edition) April, 2012 ISBN: 978-93-80247-17-5 Edited by Dharamsing Teron Published by Assam Book Hive, Chancellor Commercial Building, Pan Bazar, Guwahati & Printed at North East Printers, North Sarania, Lalmati, Guwahati
8. “Reclaiming the Ancestors’ Voices…” (Karbi Studies, Vol.2) 2011 ISBN: 978-93-80247-13-7 Author – Dharamsing Teron Published by Assam Book Hive, Chancellor Commercial Building, Pan Bazar, Guwahati & Printed at North East Printers, North Sarania, Lalmati, Guwahati
9. “Ru Samsonsing Ingti and His Times– A Tribute to the Father of Karbi Nationalism”. (February 2022) Author – Dharamsing Teron Published by Centre for Karbi Studies, Diphu & Printed at AM Publications, Guwahati.
10. “Nothengpi” (March, 2022). Author – DharamsingTeron Published by Diphu Cultural Centre, Department of Cultural Affairs, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council & Printed by AM Publication, Guwahati
11. “Chikimo: Reminiscing 50 years of the Karbi Youth Festival” ( January, 2024). Author- Dharamsing Teron and Girbani Deka, Published by the Centre for Karbi Studies and KAAC.
Chapter Contributions to Books
12. Charhepi’s Song: Karbi Women’s Funeral Lament (Pp.103-110) in ‘Passing Things on – Ancestors and Genealogiies in Northeast India’ Hutton Lectures Series Volume 1 2014 ISBN: 9789380500812 © The KohimaInstitute Heritage Publishing House, 65, Duncan, Dimapur, Nagaland
13. Mosera Myth of Karbi Migration: Memorising History/Historicising Memory in Following ForkheadPaths: On Changes in New Zealand Maori Narrative: How an Indigenous Culture Engages the Modern World August 2017 ISBN:9789380677934, 9380677936 Edited by Debashree Dattaray, Epsita Halder, Sudip Bhattacharya Setu Prakashani
14. ‘Angry Gods’ and the Ecological Tradition of KarbiAncestors (Pp.61-72) in Ecocriticism and Environment – Rethinking Culture and Literature 2018 ISBN: 978-93-86552-75-4 (hardback) ISBN: 978-93-86552-76-1 (POD) Edited by Debashree Dattaray & Sarita Sharma Published by Primus Books, An Imprint of Ratna Sagar P Ltd., ViratBhavan, Mukherjee Nagar Commercial Complex, Delhi-110009; Printed and bound in India by Replika Press Pvt. Ltd.
15. Modern Karbi Music: A Brief History (Pp. 432-452) in Cultural Heritage of Assam, Vol. 1 2019 ISBN:978-81-927066-6-5 General Editor – Brajakishore Saikia Published by Rashmi Prakash, Guwahati 4
16. Historical Trauma, Colonialism and Karbi Sense of Being (Pp.29-43) in Converging Spectrum of Anthropology with Emphasis on Assam and Adjoining Areas 2020 ISBN: 978-93-88881-45-6 Edited by Dwipen Bezbaruah EBH Publishers (India)-an Imprint of Eastern Book House, 136, ML, Nehru Road, Panbazar, Guwahati
17. Quest for a Karbi Homeland: Memory, History, and Politics (Pp.159-178) in Disadvantaged Tribes of India-Regional Concerns 2021 ISBN: 978-81-316-1164-7 Edited by V Srinivasa Rao Rawat Publications, Satyam Apts., Sector 3, Jawahar Nagar, Jaipur-302004
18. The Karbis – for whom there is life in the Hills, Rivers and Valleys in – Assam- An Ethnic Mosaic 2021 ISBN: 978-93-83094-06-6 Edited by Wasbir Hussain & HirenChandra Nath Worldweaves India
19. The Colonial Karbis and the Making of an Unwarlike People in ‘Making Peace Mutually – Perspectives from Assam’ 2021 ISBN: 978-93-92988-01-1 Edited by UdipanaGoswami & Abantee Dutta Studio Nilima, Bhabani Books
20. Migration Narratives and Ritual Regeneration among the Karbi and Tiwa in Highland Assam in RoutledgeHandbook of Highland Asia – Edited by Jelle JP Woutersand Michael T Heneise; (2023) ISBN – 978-0-367-35826-6
21. Teron, DS, Deka, Girbani, Katharpi, Maggie, Kathar, Dilip & Lekthe, DS (Ed.) (2023). Tirim Amo – A Handcrafted Legacy of the Karbis (2022); Department of Textiles, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, Diphu & Printed at AM Publications, Guwahati. ISBN -978-93-93114-15-0
Contributions to Online Magazines
1. How to Describe Karbis? (Living with Labels) – byDharamsing Teron & Linso Timungpi Publisher – RAIOT.IN Date of Publication – July 2, 2019
2. The Politics of Space, Map-Making and Traditional Karbi Territory – by Dharamsing Teron & Linso TimungpiPublisher – NEZINE.COM Date published – 28-10-2019
3. Writing as Resistance: Some Reflections – DharamsingTeron – in “Indigeniety, Ecology and Narrative” Newsletter No.8, 2021 ISSN: 2733-2748 February, 2021, Issue No. Special Issue – ISFNR (International Society for Folk Narrative Research) Edited by Margaret Lyngdoh, ReepPandi Lepcha & Talilula Papers Presented/Plenary
Academic Sessions Chaired
1. Migration Memories in Karbi Oral Tradition – paper presented in National Seminar on Tribes of India: Identity, Culture & Lore (Special Focus on Karbi Tribe in Assam) organized by Department of MIL and Literary Studies, University of Delhi in Collaboration with Zila SaksharataAbhijan Samity, Karbi Anglong, Assam 5-7 September 2007
2. ‘Recalling the Past’ – Orality in Karbi Tradition – paper presented in International Conference on Orality & Performance: Talking Tongues, Speaking Gestures; Centre of Advanced Study Programme, Department of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University, Kkolkata, India 12-13-14 January 2010
3. Inside a Karbi Kitchen – From Tradition to Modernity – paper presented in the NEZCC sponsored „Two-day Workshop-cum-Seminar on Ethnic Cuisine of the Five North-Eastern States of Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya and its Relation with the Culture and Lifestyle of the People there‟ – Shilpgram, Guwahati, India 13-14 October 2010
4. Census, Colonial Legacy and the Karbi Identity – paper presented in ICHR Sponsored National Seminar on History and Culture of North-East India organized by the Department of History, Assam University, Diphu Campus 24-26 February 2011
5. Language Death and the Karbi Situation – paper presented in the Regional Seminar cum Conference on Development of Ethnic Language and Culture of the North East for Peace and 6 Harmony – Organized by SCERT, Assam, Kahilipara, Guwahati, held at Shilpgram, Panjabari. 3-5 February 2011
6. Mosera and Migration Memories among the Karbis –paper presented in the National Seminar on Narratives of Migration and Memories in Assam (SAP-DRS Project) organized by the Department of English and Foreign Languages, Tezpur University, Napaam, Tezpur, Assam, India – 28 th February 2012
7. Charhepi’s Songs: Karbi Women’s Funerary Lament – paper presented in the First Hutton Lectures organized by The Kohima Institute and Hostef by the Department of Art & Culture, Government of Nagaland and held at The Heritage, Kohima 3 December, 2013
8. Discussant (Session 7) in the NMML Sponsored Conference titled “Diversities and Connections: Reconsidering Ethnic Boundaries in Northeast India” in Association with the University of Gottingen, Germany, National Centre for Scientific Research, France and Sikkim University, Gangtok, held at Seminar Room, First Floor, Library Buuilding 6-7 February 2014
9. Chaired a Plenary Session IV (Memory and History) in the International Conference on Following Forkhead Paths: Discussions on the Narratives; Centre of Advanced Study (PhaseII), Department of Comparative Literature, JadavpurUniversity, Kolkata 5-6-7 March 2014
10. ‘Angry Gods’ and Ecological Culture of the KarbiAncestors – paper presented in “Tradition, Creativity and Indigenous Knowledge: Winter School of International Folkloristics and Indigenous Culture” organized by the Centre for Tribal Folklore, Language and Literature (Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi) and Department of Estonian and Comparative Folklore (University of Tartu, Estonia), held at the Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi, India 12-19 January 2014
11. Preserving Folklore and Oral Tradition as an Act of Reclaiming History and Identity – paper presented in the National Workshop on “Interdisciplinary Approaches to Doing Study on Tribes” – Organized by the Tribal Studies Centre, Assam University, Diphu Campus, Diphu, KarbiAnglong 13-14 March, 2014
12. Opium: The Curse of Colonialism and the Lengthening Shadow of Karbi History – paper presented in the 2nd Hutton Lecture Series, Kohima Institute, held at The Heritage, Kohima, Nagaland, India 3-4 December 2014 7
13. The Politics of Map-Making and the Cartographic Representation of the Karbis – paper presented in the ICHR Sponsored National Seminar on Unexplored History of the Karbiss in Northeast India Past and Present Perspectives organized by the department of History, Assam University, Diphu Campus and the Centre for Karbi Studies, Diphu, Karbi Anglong, Assam 6-7 September, 2016
14. Singing the Story – Performance and Meaning in KarbiOral Narratives – paper presented in the 2-Day seminar titled “Lingusitic Background and Oral Literature of the Karbis and Poets’ Meet of the Karbis and other Languages of the Region” jointly sponsored by the Sahitya Akademy, Karbi Lammet Amei (Karbi Literary Organization) and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) held at Farmers‟ Growth Centre, Diphu, Karbi Anglong, Assam, India – 22-23 September 2017
15. Delivered Keynote Address titled Death, Dirge and Drama – the Never-ending Song of Charhepi at the Seventh Annual Hutton Lectures, 2019 at the Kohima Institute, Kohima, Nagaland, India – 9 December, 2019
16. Sacred Numbers and Sacred Geometry – Exploring the Sacred in Karbi Ontology – paper presented in the National Seminar on the Sacred organized by the Centre of Cultural Studies, Tezpur University, Napaam, Tezpur, Assam, India – 26 February 2019
17. Karbi Belief System: From Resistance and Assimilation to Chaos – paper presented in International Workshop titled Changes and Continuities in the Religious Landscape of Northeast India, organized by North Eastern Social Research Centre (NESRC), Guwahati, India and the Department of Estonian and Comparative Folklore, Tartu, Estonia with support provided by Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI), Centre National de la ResercheScientifique (CNRS, Paris, France), Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS, Guwahati, India), and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR, Shillong, India) and held at Don Bosco Institute, Kharghuli, Guwahati, India 19-21 January 2017
Seminars and Webinars Organized/Attended:
1. Centre for Karbi Studies Lecture Series –
(a) 1st Lecture Series 24th November 2015 held at JirsongAsong, Don Bosco, Diphu, Karbi Anglong, Assam, India, with guest speakers Dr. Gunnel Cederloff, Deptt. ofHistory, Uppsala University, Sweden (Environmental History of the Northeast India in the Colonial Period) & Dr. Philippe Ramirez, CNRS, Paris (Exploring Ethnic Margins in Assam);
(b) 2nd Lecture Series on “Research, Representation and Karbis – Setting New Paradigm” -29th January 2017 held at Jirsong Asong, Don Bosco, Diphu, Karbi Anglong, Assam, India, in collaboration with Dr. Robindra Teron, Deptt. of Life Science, AUDC, Diphu and Dr. VulliDhanaraju, Deptt. of History, AUDC;
(c) 3rd Lecture Series – “Researching Karbi Oral History”held at Singhason Hotel Conference Hall, Diphu, Asam, India with Guest Speakers – Dr. Debashree Duttaray, Deptt. of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University, Kolkata & Dr. John Thomas, Deptt. of History, IIT, Guwahati. 2. Organized a lecture on “Research Methodologies” at Conference Hall, Dey’s Engineering, Diphu, KarbiAnglong, Assam, India, 15th March 2015 by Prof. G Aloysius, eminent scholar and author of ‘Nationalism without Nation’.
3. Seminar Cum Workshop on “Threatened Cultural Tradition of the Karbi, Dimasa and Kuki Communities of Karbi Anglong”, held at Jirsong Asong, Diphu, KarbiAnglong, Assam, India, in collaboration with Institute of Research and Documentation of Indigenous Studies (IRDIS), Guwahati, Assam, India held on 21st April, 2017
4. 2018-2019 Fulbright-Nehru Alumni Award Project by Debashree Dattaray titled “Empowerment and Resilience: A Two-Day Seminar on Karbi Women Weavers in the Urban Space in Karbi Anglong” held in collaboration with USIEF and the Centre for Karbi Studies at Jirsong Asong, Diphu, Karbi Anglong, Assam, India – 6-7 March 2019
5. Webinar lecture presented on “Folklore and Folkloristicsin North-East India” organized by Naga Tribal Language Studies, Nagaland University, Kohima Campus, Mereima, Nagaland, India – 17th November, 2020
6. CKS Webinar Series – 4 on “Epistemology Ahead: Self-Reflexivity and Indigenous Studies” with Ms. Reep PandiLepcha, Department of English, Nar Bahadur BhandariDegree College, Sikkim, India – 6 th November 2020
7. Conducted One Month Online Orientation Programme on Karbi Studies covering topics of Karbi Oral Narratives and Literature, Karbi Language and Language Teaching and Representation of Karbis-Methods and Approaches – 2 nd October-31is October, 2020
8. CKS Webinar Series – 3 with Dr. Peter J Keegan, Senior Lecturer in the School of Maori and Indigenous Education, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand on „Maori (New Zealand) Indigenous Traditions: What is Happening in Modern Time” with Discussant Dr. Debashree Dattaray, Associate Professor in Comparative Literature and Deputy Coordinator, Canadian Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India – 23 September 2020
9. International Winter Workshop on “Indigeneity, Orality, and Liminal Ontologies: Methodological Pluralisms and Approaches to Culture” – jointly hosted by the University of 9 Tartu, Estonia and the Centre for Karbi Studies in collaboration with Nordic Centre, India (NCI), New Delhi; Marginalized and Endangered Worldviews Study Centre (MEWSC), University College Cork, Ireland; University of Tartu Asian Centre, Estonia; Department of Folklore Research, Gauhati University, India; Department of Global Studies, Aarhus University, Denmark with financial support from the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), Diphu, Karbi Anglong, Assam, India and held at DiphuIndoor Stadium – 14-17 January 2020
10. CKS Webinar Series -5 on “How might we Invent New Jobs by combining Silicon Valley’s Design Thinking with Karbi Anglong’s Indigenous Knowledge?” with Erica Tanos, a Sweden (Stockholm) based Innovation Anthropologist working on Human centred Solutions from Multi-perspectival understandings held on 13 December 2020
11. CKS Webinar Series-6 on “Affective Infrastructure: Reindeer Ear-Marking in the Kola Peninsula” with Dr. Laura Siragusa, University of Helsinki, Finland – 25th January, 2021
12. Organized an Indigenous Writers Workshop on “Approaches to Ethno-History, Culture and Society” (1-3 March 2022) in collaboration with the Reception Committee of 48th Karbi Youth Festival 2022 with support from the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) at Arboretum cum Craft Centre, Diphu.
Grants and Collaborations –
1. Collaborated with Dr. Indu Swami of the Assam University, Diphu Campus (AUDC), Diphu, Assam, India, on a folklore documentation project as Community Elder under National Folklore Support Center, Chennai, for 2012-13.
2. Worked on “Emblematic Drinks of the Karbis” with Thomas Kaiser for a project funded by Zurich Ethnographic Museum of the Zurich University, 2013-2014.
3. Worked as consultant on a documentation of “Rice in the Social Life of the Karbis” (2013- 2014) funded by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, with Dr. Prafulla Nath of the Tribal Studies of Assam University, Diphu Campus (AUDC), Diphu, Assam, India.
4. Documented a 32 hour long Karbi oral epic titled “The Karbi Kacharhe Alun- Funeral Epic in Assam”in collaboration with Dr Michael Heneise (previously based in Highland Institute, Kohima, Nagaland, India, as Research Fellow and currently) Associate Professor in Religious Studies, Department of Archaeology, History, Religious Studies and Theology in the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway, under a fund provided by the Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research, USA- 2017-2018; A Publication is due in 2023
