Zodawn Footprints

Dec 23, 2025

Eighteen Years Together: A Journey of Love, Growth, and Enduring Commitment


Eighteen years (23.12.2007 - 23.12.2025) of marriage is not merely a measure of time; it is a testament to resilience, companionship, and the quiet strength that grows between two people who choose each other every day. In a world that moves fast and often celebrates instant gratification, reaching the milestone of 18 years together stands as a powerful reminder that lasting love is built patiently, through shared dreams, trials, and everyday moments.

Dec 22, 2025

World War III Concerns and Global Tensions

In an era defined by rapid geopolitical shifts and resurgent great-power competition, public fears about a potential World War III are hard to ignore. From Eastern Europe to the Middle East, and from the Indo-Pacific to global diplomatic forums, leaders and analysts alike are wrestling with an unsettling reality: the world’s security architecture is under strain.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has openly acknowledged these anxieties. Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, he warned

Dec 21, 2025

Why Cement Roads Make Sense in Manipur’s Hills - Explained!

Manipur’s road crisis is not merely about poor connectivity - it is about choosing the right engineering solutions for a difficult terrain. A frequent question raised by citizens, especially in hill districts like Lamka (Churachandpur), is why cement concrete roads are being built instead of bitumen roads.

The answer lies in geography and climate.

Manipur’s hill districts receive intense monsoon rainfall, often accompanied by landslides and soil erosion. Bitumen roads, which are flexible by design, deteriorate rapidly when water penetrates the surface layers. Potholes, cracks, and surface peeling become inevitable within a few monsoon cycles.

Dec 19, 2025

Article 371C of the Indian Constitution and the Tribal Communities of Manipur

 Constitutional Safeguards, Institutional Practice, and Contemporary Challenges

Abstract

Article 371C of the Indian Constitution was introduced as a special provision to safeguard the political, administrative, and cultural interests of the tribal communities inhabiting the hill areas of Manipur. Enacted in the context of Manipur’s transition to statehood, the provision sought to institutionalise participatory governance through the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) and to assign special responsibility to the Governor for hill administration. Despite its constitutional significance, Article 371C has remained under-implemented and institutionally weakened. This paper examines the historical origins, constitutional intent, institutional mechanisms, and practical limitations of Article 371C, situating it within Manipur’s broader ethnic and governance landscape. It argues that the erosion of Article 371C has contributed to tribal alienation and governance crises, and that strengthening its implementation is essential for democratic legitimacy and ethnic accommodation in Manipur.

Legal Comparison of Article 371C (Manipur), Article 371A (Nagaland), and the Sixth Schedule

Asymmetric Federalism and Tribal Autonomy in Northeast India

1. Introduction

India’s constitutional design accommodates diversity through asymmetric federal arrangements, particularly in regions with distinct ethnic, cultural, and historical identities. The North-Eastern region exemplifies this approach through a range of special provisions, most notably Article 371A, Article 371C, and the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

While all three mechanisms aim to protect tribal interests, they differ significantly in legal strength, institutional autonomy, and enforceability. This section undertakes a comparative legal analysis to assess how far Article 371C measures up against the more robust autonomy frameworks under Article 371A and the Sixth Schedule.

Dec 14, 2025

A Narrowing Path to Peace in Ukraine

As the Russia–Ukraine war grinds into yet another year, diplomacy has re-entered the spotlight, though not without controversy and deep uncertainty. Recent proposals circulating among Kyiv, Moscow, Washington and European capitals suggest a possible shift from maximalist war aims to pragmatic, if uncomfortable, compromises. Yet peace remains fragile, conditional, and far from assured.

Dec 13, 2025

Lamka’s Roads Are Failing Its People

Lamka, the commercial heartbeat of southern Manipur, is expanding rapidly in size, population, and economic activity. Yet its basic infrastructure - especially its roads - remains painfully behind. Daily commuters already know the routine: jolting through deep potholes, navigating half-finished drain lines, and breathing air thick with dust or diesel fumes. What should be a bustling, connected township instead feels like a maze of neglected terrain.

Dec 12, 2025

The Nupi Lan - Observed on 12th December

The Nupi Lan (meaning "Women's War" in the Meitei language) refers to two significant mass movements led by women in Manipur, British India, against colonial authorities and oppressive policies. These movements are landmark events in Manipuri history, renowned for their display of women's power and unity.

The First Nupi Lan (1904)

The first Nupi Lan broke out in 1904 in response to the British colonial authorities' reintroduction of the forced labour system known as the Lallup.

Dec 11, 2025

DAY-NRLM as a “Silent Economic Revolution” — Argument summary

DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana — National Rural Livelihoods Mission) qualifies as a silent economic revolution because it deliberately builds millions of community institutions (SHGs → federations), channels financial inclusion and livelihoods supports through those institutions, and—over a decade—has quietly transformed the economic agency, savings/credit access, and market linkages of rural women and households. The revolution is “silent” because it advances structural change from the ground up (social capital, norms, local governance of livelihoods) rather than through headline big-ticket infrastructure projects.

Dec 10, 2025

Manipur’s Uneasy Calm: A Dangerous Silence in Our Own Backyard

From Imphal to Churachandpur, from Kangpokpi to Moreh, Manipur today sits under an uneasy calm. The gunfire has decreased, markets have partially reopened, and highways are operating under heavy security. Yet for ordinary citizens, this is not peace. It is a tense silence layered with fear, separation, and deep mistrust. Neighbours who once shared daily life now live across guarded buffer zones. What Manipur is witnessing is not reconciliation - but enforced coexistence under military watch.