UKHRUL, AUG 25: The Tashar Katamnao Long (Tashar Students’ Union) has congratulated Dr Ramachan A. Shimray, former president of the Naga Students’ Union Mumbai, on successfully convocating his PhD thesis at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.
Dr Shimray, son of Enoch A. Shimray and late Yangreila A. Shimray of Tashar Village in Ukhrul district, convocated his doctoral thesis, “Experiences from the Borderlands: Examining Self-Determined Development Practices in Indo (Naga)-Myanmar Border Villages of Manipur,” on July 22, 2026.
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He completed his doctoral studies at the School of Social Work, TISS Mumbai, under the supervision of Prof. Alex Akhup of the Centre for Social Justice and Governance, with Prof. Bodhi S. R. and Dr Shaileshkumar Sahebrao Darokar serving on his Doctoral Advisory Committee.
The TKL highlighted Shimray’s academic and research interests in India–Myanmar relations, borderland governance, indigenous issues, development studies, foreign policy, security studies and geopolitics, particularly concerning Northeast India and the Naga-Myanmar borderlands.
His research and publications have covered issues including the Mapithel Dam and its impact on Tangkhul communities, infrastructure and politics in Manipur and Northeast India, and borderland social work. His recent paper, “Ethnography of Buffaloes: Herding Cattle from Kabaw Valley (Myanmar) to Naga Hills (India),” was published in the Journal of Borderlands Studies.
The Tashar Katamnao Long congratulated Dr Shimray on the achievement and wished him continued success in his academic, professional and community endeavours.
It may be noted that TISS conferred degrees on 1,376 students and scholars at its 86th annual convocation, held in Mumbai on August 22, 2026. The degrees included those awarded to 35 doctoral scholars as well as graduates from Master’s, Bachelor’s, Integrated and dual-degree programmes. The first undergraduate batch of Analytics and Sustainability Studies also received their degrees. Dr C. S. Pramesh, Director of Tata Memorial Hospital, was the chief guest at the convocation.
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