REGIONAL

AGARTALA : The Tipra Motha Party (TMP), an ally of the ruling BJP in Tripura, on Thursday asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised ending all pending issues in the Northeast region. TMP founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma also claimed that Delhi understood that the Tiprasa, or indigenous, people in the state have genuine issues following his party’s recent victory in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections. The TMP registered a massive win in the April polls in tribal council elections by bagging 24 out of 28 seats, while the BJP, which fought separately, secured four seats. “The Prime Minister has talked to me (during the celebration of 12th years of Narendra Modi in office at Bharat Mandapam) and enquired about the health of my mother (Maharani Bibhu Kumari Devi). He emphasised making attempts to resolve all the pending issues in the Northeast,” Debbarma said in a video. “I, along with MLA Ranjit Debbarma, met the Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the new interlocutor at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi today. There will be advancement in the Tiprasa Accord,” he said without throwing much light on the outcome of the meeting. The TMP signed an agreement with the Centre and the state government in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in March 2024 for the overall development of the Tiprasa people. Asserting that he is on the ‘right track’ in negotiating the accord with the Centre, Debbarma claimed that the Tiprasa people who voted for various political parties such as the Congress, CPI(M), BJP, Tripura Upajati Yuba Samity (TUJS) have gained nothing in the past 75 years. “We must focus on the rights of indigenous people rather than politics. Too much politics weakens us. If the PM and Union home minister could bring solutions to problems like those of the Naga, Mizo, Bodoland and Dimasa, why do our issues remain unresolved? We will continue to engage in discussions with those in power in Delhi,” he said. The TMP, which used to be the main opposition party of Tripura, joined the BJP-led government ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. (Source: PTI)      

IMPHAL : The Manipur government will not remain as a mute spectator to atrocities, Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh said on Thursday, after police found the mortal remains of six people suspected to be of missing Naga men, who had been held hostage by armed groups in Kangpokpi district. Six persons of the Naga community were abducted from Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district on May 13. In an official statement, the CM said the state government won’t tolerate such violence, and “will not remain a mute spectator to these atrocities”. “Culprits responsible for the murder will be arrested and punished as per law,” Singh said. The bodies were recovered a day after 14 Kuki individuals who were abducted by armed groups in Manipur’s Senapati district nearly a month ago, were released on June 9. “After nearly 24 hours of sustained search operations involving around 450 personnel of the Manipur Police, CRPF, and Assam Rifles, assisted by sniffer dogs and forensic expert teams, the mortal remains of six persons were recovered this afternoon. The deceased are believed to be among those taken hostage from Leilon Vaiphei on May 13, 2026,” the police said in a post on X on Wednesday. These 14 Kuki people and the six Nagas were among others who were abducted following the killing of three church leaders in Kangpokpi district on May 13. In a post on X, the chief minister later said: “Deeply anguished by the brutal murder of six innocent Naga villagers abducted from Leilon Vaiphei village, Kangpokpi district. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.” “The Government of Manipur strongly condemns this heinous act and is committed to ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The case is being investigated by the NIA. Violence has no place in our society. We remain steadfast in our commitment to peace, security, and the rule of law in Manipur,” Singh said. An NIA team visited the JNIMS mortuary in Imphal, after the bodies of the six men were brought to the hospital around 2 am, as part of its investigation into the killing. Meanwhile, protesters allegedly vandalised the Naga Peoples’ Front Manipur unit office at Liangmai Taphou in Senapati district late on Wednesday, after the bodies were recovered by the police. Furniture and other office property were set afire by the agitators, officials said. Miscreants also torched two trucks near a school in Karong area on Wednesday evening, they said. The United Naga Council, the apex body of Nagas in Manipur, has imposed a 24-hour shutdown in parts of the state from 6 am on Thursday to protest againt the killing. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : Legendary musician Zubeen Garg mesmerised his innumerable fans for decades with his signature humming, but the real science behind it was acoustic properties carrying warmth and expressivity, according to a study by two researchers of Handique Girls’ College. Kishore Dutta and Jyotshna Saikia, both Assistant Professors of Physics, in their research paper ‘Quantitative Acoustic Profiling of Zubeen Garg’s Humming: Temporal Patterning and Spectral Balance’ tried to look at the uniqueness of Garg’s voice. “Zubeen Garg’s vocal style is known for its distinctive use of humming. His humming often functions as a musical signature that transcends linguistic boundaries and has been described in journalistic and listener accounts as ‘soothing, soulful or magnetic’,” the study said. Its appeal arises not from linguistic meaning but from its underlying acoustic organisation and timbral expressivity, it added. The article, published in ‘Journal of Voice’ — the peer-reviewed official medical journal of the Voice Foundation and the International Association of Phonosurgery, said that vocal humming occupies a distinctive position in Indian popular music as an emotive bridge linking melody, memory and mood. “Zubeen Garg’s characteristic humming style, noted for its fluidity and expressive warmth, invites systematic investigation of what acoustically defines its appeal,” the researchers said in the paper. The study presented a quantitative acoustic profiling of Garg’s humming, focusing on how measurable voice parameters contribute to its distinct sonic character, they added. Explaining the methodology, the duo said: “A detailed set of temporal, spectral and timbral features was extracted, including jitter, shimmer, harmonic-to-noise ratio, spectral centroid, rolloff, tilt, roughness and Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs).” The analyses revealed characteristic temporal patterns and the statistical comparisons showed highly significant differences in fundamental frequency between Garg’s humming and singing, and in jitter between his and other singers’ humming. “Multiple MFCCs also showed significant distinctions, indicating limited timbral differentiation in harmonic structure. Spectral features showed non-significant trends toward lower centroid and elevated roughness,” it added. These results indicated that a subset of temporal and timbral features contributes to an acoustic profile associated with Garg’s humming, the paper said. “While no perceptual testing was undertaken, interpretations are grounded in established psychoacoustic literature linking acoustic measures to perceived attributes such as tonal warmth and vocal steadiness,” it added. Within this interpretive framework, the findings suggested that Garg’s humming exhibits an acoustically measurable combination of selected temporal and spectral characteristics that may be associated with its perceived resonant quality. The celebrated singer died under mysterious circumstances in Singapore on September 19 last year while swimming in the sea. He had gone to the South Asian nation to attend the 4th edition of the North East India Festival (NEIF). The research paper stated that Garg’s humming exemplified how micro-acoustic precision and spectral balance may contribute to a listener’s impression of tonal warmth and vocal presence. “The present analyses show that this perceived quality is associated with a tendency toward distinct temporal patterning combined with spectral balance and harmonic cohesion,” it added. These acoustic properties together may contribute to the perceived warmth and expressivity of his humming. Its appeal arises not from linguistic meaning but from its underlying acoustic organisation and timbral expressivity, it added. “Despite its artistic and cultural significance, the acoustic structure of such humming has rarely been examined through a quantitative lens,” the researchers said. The study investigated the acoustic expressibility of humming, examining how measurable voice parameters jointly shape its perpetual distinctiveness, they added. Dutta and Saikia in their research found that Garg’s humming combines precise pitch centering with smooth spectral shaping and balanced harmonic richness, producing perceptually warm and resonant timbre. “The study thereby establishes a reproducible, data-driven framework for interpreting artistic humming through measurable acoustic evidence. By profiling a singular voice, it connects acoustic analysis with broader musical context, showing how controlled temporal variability and spectral balance contribute to the expressive identity of humming in Indian popular music,” they added. The duo, however, acknowledged that the dataset in the research was limited in size and focused on a single artiste’s humming style. “As a case study, these findings are not intended for population generalisation but rather to demonstrate a replicable analytical framework for quantifying stylistic individuality in expressive humming. Future studies with larger, controlled corpora are needed to validate and extend those observations,” they added. (Source: PTI)      

IMPHAL : Suspected militants attacked a village in Manipur’s Kamjong district on Thursday, gunning down two persons and burning several houses, police said. The incident took place a day after the bodies of six Naga civilians were recovered in Kangpokpi district. It is suspected that the mortal remains belonged to those held hostage by armed groups. Kultuh Kuki, a small village, was attacked by suspected militants at around 4.55 am, during which two persons were killed, police said. Some 30 households near the border area with Myanmar were also burnt, the official said. Security forces have reached the remote village, but the identity of the perpetrators is yet to be known. Kuki Baptist Convention condemned the killings and urged the authorities to take “decisive and comprehensive measures” to ensure protection of civilians. On the killing, Congress leader Dr Lamtinthang Haokip claimed that “the Head Deacon of the Kultuh Church and Chairman of the Youth Dept were brutally murdered.” He alleged that the government’s failure to control the situation is “beyond tolerance”. (Source: PTI)          

TIRUPATI : TTD has officially taken possession of over 10 acres of land in Assam for the construction of a Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Guwahati. TTD chairman BR Naidu said the Assam government has allotted 10.3 acres of land, located in Sonapur Circle of Kamrup district, for the temple. “TTD has officially taken possession of 10.33 acres of land allotted by the Assam Government for the construction of a Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Guwahati,” said an official press release from the temple body on Tuesday. The land allotment is in line with TTD’s initiative to establish Srivari temples in state capitals across the country. BR Naidu and senior officials had held discussions with the Assam government representatives regarding the project. The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu, and the TTD Trust Board also extended their support through official communications. On Tuesday, the Assam Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner handed over the land possession certificate to TTD. BR Naidu said Bhoomi Puja for the temple construction will be performed shortly. (Source: PTI)    

SHILLONG : The Meghalaya government on Wednesday put on hold all state-funded foreign visits by ministers, MLAs and officials for six months as part of an austerity drive aimed at rationalising expenditure and prioritising development spending, a notification stated. The decision, taken in the larger public interest, comes amid growing global economic uncertainties, including rising geopolitical tensions and pressure on foreign exchange resources, they said.   According to the notification by the general administration department, the governor has ordered that all official foreign visits of ministers, MLAs and officials of the state government, whether permanent or contractual, shall be on hold for six months. The notification said the measure has been imposed “in public interest and for complying with austerity measures”. As a result of the decision, eight proposed foreign study visits and exposure programmes involving around 63 to 68 officials and representatives from various departments have been deferred. The postponed programmes were related to governance, livestock development, climate-resilient water management, healthcare systems, project implementation, environmental management and electoral administration. The proposed visits were to destinations including the United Kingdom, Denmark, the United States, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Argentina. Officials said the temporary suspension should not be viewed as a withdrawal from international engagement or knowledge exchange. “Rather, it reflects a temporary pause in expenditure-bearing overseas travel while ensuring continued focus on governance priorities within the state,” an official said. The government said many of the intended learnings and collaborations would continue to be pursued through virtual engagements, technical partnerships and other avenues during the restriction period. The notification stated that the order would apply to all foreign visits funded by the Meghalaya government and would cover both permanent and contractual employees. However, it clarified that the restriction would not apply to visits fully funded by the government of India or entirely sponsored by multilateral development banks, subject to obtaining the necessary political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs. Officials said the move is aimed at curbing non-essential expenditure and ensuring that public resources remain available for development programmes and other priority commitments of the state government. (Source: PTI)          

IMPHAL : Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Wednesday met Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi and discussed the progress of key national highway projects in the state, including the Imphal-Jiribam and Imphal-Dimapur roads, according to an official statement. During the meeting at Gadkari’s official residence, the chief minister also sought early sanction of the proposed elevated highway project in Manipur. The Union minister responded positively to the state’s requests, the statement said. Regarding National Highway-37 (Imphal-Jiribam road), Singh informed Gadkari that land compensation issues in Noney district had been resolved following a revised survey and approval by the state cabinet, and that work on the project had commenced. On the Imphal-Dimapur highway, the chief minister said issues related to Kangpokpi district had been resolved, and a special package had been approved by the state cabinet. Singh also informed the Union minister that land issues continued to affect the Imphal-Ukhrul-Jessami highway project and that the state government was engaging with stakeholders to ensure an early resolution, the statement added. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : A structured pipeline of marquee live events could generate over Rs 700 crore in cumulative economic impact within Assam over the next five years, a report released here on Wednesday claimed. It was based on a survey conducted by BookMyShow, an online entertainment ticketing platform, in collaboration with Assam Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (ATDC) and EY-Parthenon, a global strategy consulting arm of Ernst and Young (EY). The report, ‘The Assam Blueprint: Turning Live Music Economy into a Tourism Multiplier’, examined the economic, tourism, workforce and cultural impact of live entertainment in Assam following a concert by American singer-rapper Post Malone in December last year. It comes days after the announcement of another concert by the legendary rock band Guns N’ Roses in the city in November, as part of the state government’s ‘concert tourism’ policy. Unveiling the report at a press conference here, ATDC managing director Kumar Padmapani Bora said the report was compiled after extensive talks with various stakeholders. As per the report, a structured pipeline of marquee live entertainment events could generate over Rs 700 crore in cumulative economic impact within the state over the next five years. The Post Malone concert generated an estimated Rs 43 crore in total economic impact, including Rs 32 crore injected directly into Assam’s economy through attended spending and another Rs 5 crore in GST revenue. The concert attracted approximately 20,000 attendees, with 53 per cent coming from outside Guwahati, with people from over 200 cities and towns across the country attending it. The report further revealed that for every Rs 100 spent on a concert ticket, attendees spent an additional Rs 899 on accommodation, travel, dining, shopping and local services. Hotels in the city reported a nearly 30 per cent increase in occupancy during the concert weekend, local transport operators experienced more than 50 per cent growth in ride demand, restaurants and cafés recorded over 33 per cent growth in walk-ins, while retail businesses witnessed more than 30 per cent higher footfalls during the event. Bora said the live events are part of the state’s concert tourism policy, adopted last year. “For Assam, the concert economy is not just about entertainment; it is about tourism, culture, youth engagement and economic growth working together. Our objective is to build a facilitative ecosystem where large events become repeatable opportunities that bring visitors into the state, create local employment and showcase Assam to national and global audiences,” he said. As per the policy, at least three marquee live events, featuring national or international performers, will be organised, Bora said. “A concert arena will also be developed in Guwahati in the next two to three years,” he added. Naman Pugalia, chief business officer, Live Events, BookMyShow, also present at the press meet, said the deep-rooted connection of North East region with music serves as a catalyst for hosting concerts here. “The Post Malone concert demonstrated how globally benchmarked live experiences can generate value far beyond the venue, creating impact across tourism, hospitality, local enterprise and employment,” he said. The successful hosting of the event was also a demonstration of the synchronisation of government, industry and local stakeholders, Pugalia added. Raghav Anand, partner and leader, Media and Entertainment, EY-Parthenon, speaking virtually at the press conference, said, “What makes Assam particularly exemplifying is not just the headline economic impact, but the ecosystem behind it — clear policy direction, institutional coordination, infrastructure investment and a commitment to measuring outcomes.” “When live entertainment is treated as economic infrastructure rather than a one-off spectacle, it becomes a repeatable engine for tourism, employment and regional growth,” he added. The Assam government had approved a policy in May last year for promoting ‘concert tourism’, and also joined hands with Bigtree Entertainment, which operates BookMyShow, to organise various national and international musical concerts in the state. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : Ambassador of the European Union to India Herve Delphin on Tuesday asserted that Assam is not at the periphery of India’s geography, but the northeastern state is moving to the centre of its economy. Addressing a press conference here on the second day of the European Union delegation’s high-level visit to the state, Delphin said that the EU has been engaging with and supporting the development of the northeast region, particularly Assam. “Assam is not at the periphery of India’s geography, but is moving to the centre of its economy,” he said. Delphin said what is distinct in Assam is the “resources that nature offers. The quality of the people… their talent, hospitality and the incredible leadership to develop the state, and it is this that makes Assam the go-to destination for European business”. ”At the core, we want to bring the EU-India ecosystem and economies closer, and the launch of ‘Blue Valley Cluster-Flavours, Fragrance and Ayush’ is a step towards this materialising at the state level,” he said. The Blue Valley Cluster pilot project in Assam is expected to demonstrate a new model of sustainable industrial cooperation by connecting local biodiversity, innovation and enterprise with international value chains and market opportunities, officials said. (Source: PTI)    

NEW DELHI : India has exported one tonne of GI-tagged Tezpur Litchi from Assam to Dubai, marking a step forward in promoting the premium fruit, known for its exceptional sweetness, bright-red colour and distinctive aroma, in overseas markets, the Commerce Ministry said on Tuesday. The ministry is promoting exports of agri products from the North Eastern Region. It said that the Tezpur region cultivates several notable varieties of Litchi, including Bombaya, Bilati, Elaichi, Piyaji and Sahi. “The Geographical Indication (GI) status has strengthened the identity and market recognition of Tezpur Litchi, enhancing its appeal among international buyers and creating new opportunities for premium agricultural exports from Assam,” it said. (Source: PTI)