The Naga Research Scholars’ Forum, Shillong, held the second edition of its Autumn Meet 2026 at the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, on Saturday, bringing together research scholars to reflect on the challenges, experiences and evolving perspectives that shape academic research.
Held at the Social Science Cluster, Classroom 101, under the theme “Intersecting Minds, Illuminating Future,” the programme explored the relationship between theory and field realities, the personal challenges of academic life, and the importance of communicating research findings effectively.
The programme was chaired by Vizovonuo Suohu, followed by a welcome address by E Ongarhoni Ovung.
The first session, titled “Between Theory and Ground: The Making of Research,” featured three speakers who shared their research experiences and perspectives.
Dr Ab. Dijinbou of the Department of Culture and Creative Studies opened the session by examining the relationship between theoretical understanding and realities encountered in the field. Drawing on folklore and cultural contexts, he highlighted how myths and folk songs can serve as valuable sources for understanding cultural memory, history and changing traditions.
Addressing the influence of ideology and confirmation bias, Dr Dijinbou encouraged scholars to question their assumptions rather than allow existing beliefs to determine their interpretations. He emphasised conceptual analysis, the development of new insights and the need to remain receptive to changing perspectives. He also noted that traditions should not be viewed as static inheritances, but as practices that communities continually reinterpret.
His presentation underscored the importance of moving beyond established explanations and becoming active producers of knowledge rather than merely consumers of existing ideas.
Zulotoshi Imchen of the Department of Geography shared his personal experiences as a research scholar, highlighting the practical and emotional challenges of fieldwork and academic writing. His fieldwork in Aizawl and Shillong involved language barriers, unfamiliar surroundings and the need to adapt to different environments.
He observed that fieldwork requires patience, adjustment and a willingness to step beyond one’s comfort zone, often long before meaningful data can be gathered.
Imchen also spoke about the repeated rejection of research papers he submitted for publication. Acknowledging the uncertainty and discouragement that accompany academic life, he explained how continued writing, extensive reading and improvements in research techniques and analysis helped him learn from setbacks.
Describing research as a long and sometimes lonely journey, he encouraged scholars to take pride in their progress and not allow rejection to define their potential. He stressed that academic success may take time, while the experience and learning gained along the way remain valuable.
The third speaker, Aras Kumar Gurung of the Department of Anthropology, shared his fieldwork experiences among the Sherpa community in Nepal in the context of mountain climbing. He challenged the tendency to view Sherpas primarily through their association with mountaineering and carrying heavy loads, calling for a broader understanding of their social and cultural lives.
Recounting the demands of reaching his field site, he described travelling by bus and then walking for two to three days. The journey required careful preparation, including appropriate medicines, suitable clothing and essential safety equipment.
His fieldwork also involved unexpected challenges, including concerns raised by a national park warden over the collection of wildlife samples. Encounters with local guides, harsh high-altitude conditions and the risks faced by visitors unfamiliar with the mountain environment further demonstrated the need for researchers to adapt to circumstances that may differ significantly from their expectations.
Despite these difficulties, Gurung continued his research and stayed longer than originally planned, gaining deeper insights into the community, its environment and its way of life. His experience highlighted that fieldwork involves more than reaching a destination and collecting data; it requires careful observation, adaptability and an effort to understand people within their social and environmental contexts.
Although the speakers approached research from different perspectives, their experiences converged on a common understanding that research rarely unfolds exactly as planned. The field can challenge established theories, publication rejections can test a scholar’s confidence, and unexpected encounters can reveal insights beyond the scope of carefully prepared questions.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
The interactive session further explored the practical and methodological challenges faced by researchers. Responding to a question on handling qualitative data, Dr Dijinbou explained that conversations with elderly informants sometimes extended beyond the immediate research topic. Although such information might initially appear unrelated, reviewing it later could reveal valuable material for a thesis or separate research papers.
Another participant asked Imchen how he dealt with repeated rejections of his manuscripts. He explained that papers may fail to meet a journal’s publication criteria or expectations, and that continuous practice, stronger analytical approaches, appropriate research techniques and extensive reading can help improve the quality of academic work.
The discussion also raised a fundamental question about what it means to understand the ground. Participants considered whether visiting a place and recording respondents’ accounts was sufficient, or whether researchers needed to examine the historical, cultural and social contexts shaping people’s experiences.
Drawing attention to earlier colonial accounts, the discussion questioned whether contemporary researchers merely reproduce observations or move beyond description to explore deeper meanings, silences and perspectives. The exchange reinforced the need for critical engagement with the ground as a complex social reality rather than simply a location for collecting data.
Following a break, the second session featured a workshop on academic presentation conducted by Ms. Pheloseno Shaiza of the Department of Anthropology.
The workshop focused on improving PowerPoint presentations and organising academic content effectively. As part of a group activity, participants were divided into five groups, with each group receiving a book and selecting a topic for presentation.
With only 20 minutes to prepare, the groups had to identify the central idea, establish its significance, select relevant information and organise their findings into a coherent presentation. The exercise demonstrated that an effective academic presentation depends not on the quantity of information displayed on slides, but on the clarity with which the main message is communicated.
It also encouraged collaboration, critical selection of information and decision-making under time constraints.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Ebina Panmei, followed by lunch and the dispersal of participants.
The Autumn Meet provided an opportunity for scholars to reflect on the wider dimensions of academic growth, from questioning established theories and persevering through rejection to engaging critically with field realities and communicating research effectively.
In keeping with the theme “Intersecting Minds, Illuminating Future,” the programme highlighted how the exchange of experiences and perspectives can challenge assumptions and open new avenues of understanding. It reaffirmed that the value of research lies not only in the answers it produces, but also in the questions it encourages researchers to ask.
