Indigenous People, Latest Controversy: A Case Study Gurkhas of Assam

The recent controversy on the issue, who are the indigenous people of Assam, has kicked off a controversy locally whether the Gurkhas are indigenous or not. To me, the Gurkhas are indigenous which has been proved by various historical literary sources. Both Primary and Secondary methods have been applied to unearth the truth while mostly historical literature has been taken into account. The topic even influences the recent updation of National Registration of Citizenship, 1951. Therefore, it has become the need of the time to find out whether the Gurkhas are indigenous or not. Various records and sources suggest that they are indigenous who have, largely, contributed to the growth and development of the Assamese society. This paper takes positive approach to the issue and contends that the growth and dynamics of the Gurkhas of Assam are relevant in the context of formulating and implementing polices for social and economic development of the community.