Shillong, Oct 23: A two-day national seminar on ‘Shadows of 1975: The Emergency and Meghalaya’s Journey as a Young State’ was inaugurated today.
The programme is being organised by the Centre for Historical Research Synod College (CHRSC), Shillong supported by the Chief Minister Special Grant. Cabinet Minister Sanbor Shullai attended the inaugural function as the chief guest.
Eminent scholars, journalists, diplomats, civil society leaders and students are attending the seminar to commemorate 50 years since the emergency of 1975 and to examine its impact on Meghalaya’s political and social evolution.
The seminar features three special roundtables and two paper presentation sessions, both in offline and online mode, where speakers from NEHU, IIM Shillong, St. Edmund’s College, St. Anthony’s College, and other institutions shared their perspectives on the Emergency, autonomy, media, and democratic resilience.
Highlights included a debate competition among students, a screening of an official short film on the emergency produced by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, and an Emergency Photo Gallery curated by CHRSC.
The event also marked the formal opening of the 1975 Emergency Photo Gallery.
CHRSC Secretary Dr. David Arnold Kharchandy said the seminar served not only as a forum for academic reflection but also as a reaffirmation of Meghalaya’s deep-rooted commitment to democratic ethos and constitutional values.
