HSS

Faculty Details

Pahi Saikia 

Pahi Saikia 

Professor 
Education: Doctorate
Political Science
pahi@iitg.ac.in
+91 361 2582573
Room No: 113
Personal Website

Research Interests: International Relations; Foreign Policy between India and neighbouring countries; Ethnic identity politics, tribes and indigenous people in Northeast India; Governance & political development in developing areas; Security issues in borderlands Asia; Social movements and conflict prevention.

Journal Publications

1. Pahi Saikia, Anup Kumar, Holli A. Semetko & Dilip Gogoi, "Contesting in the policy sphere: stakeholders and policy formulation on the lower Subansiri dam in the Northeast", India Review, 10 October, vol.22:5 [2023], 10.1080/14736489.2023.2261316

2. Jimmy Sebastian Daimary & Pahi Saikia, "Insurgent movements and paths to negotiation: a case study of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) in India’s northeast", Small Wars & Insurgencies, August 25 [2023], 10.1080/09592318.2023.2246613

3. Saikia, Pahi, ""Multilateral Connectivity and Importance of the Northeast in BIMSTEC: A Security Dimension" in Situating India's Northeast in The Bay of Bengal Regional Architecture, eds. Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury & Ambar Kumar Ghosh", Global Policy Journal: Observer Research Foundation Series, Wiley, Durham University, ISBN.978-93-90494-23-1. September 28, [2022]

4. Saikia, Pahi & Rajeev Bhattacharyya, "Campaigning and party strategies in Assam", South Asian History and Culture, 10 April [2022]

5. Anil M. Varughese, Pahi Saikia & Tanya Reddy Sattineni, "Maximum campaigning in Andhra Pradesh: from padayatra to Facebook and YouTube", South Asian History and Culture, Routledge, Taylor & Francis group, 25, July [2021]

6. Pahi Saikia, "Women, Post-conflict Security and Governance Practices in India's Northeast", Peace Prints: South Asian Journal of Peacebuilding, WISCOMP, vol.Summer 2021, Vol 7. No 1, Issue no.No 1 [2021]

7. Kiran Arabaghatta Basavaraj, Pahi Saikia, Anil Varughese, Holli A. Semetko, Anup Kumar, "COVID-19–Social Identity–Digital Media Nexus in India: Polarization and Blame", Political Psychology, Wiley Online Library, vol.July 2021 [2021], http://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12774

8. Pahi Saikia, Jugdep S. Chima, Aniruddha Kumar Baro,, "Limits of ethnofederalism and local political autonomy arrangements: Continuing violence in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts of Assam", India Review, Taylor & Francis, vol.15, Issue no.1, pp.136-162 [2016]

9. Pahi Saikia, "Political opportunities, constraints, and mobilizing structures: An integrated approach to different levels of ethno-political contention in northeast India", India Review, Taylor & Francis, vol.NA, Issue no.10.1, pp.NA-NA [2011]

Conference Proceedings

1. Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury,Nilanjan Ghosh,Pahi Saikia,Pratnashree Basu,Sohini Nayak, Sujeev Shakya, BBIN:OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES, Observer Research Foundation, Kolkata & British Deputy High Commission, vol.NA, Issue no.NA, pp.35-41 [2018]

Book Chapter

1. Saikia, Pahi & Aniruddha Kumar Baro, "Governance and Belonging in the Margins A Centre–Periphery Perspective in India's Northeastern Region" , in Kedilezo Kikhi, Dharma Rakshit Gautam, Marginality in India Perspectives of Marginalisation from the Northeast , Routledge , [2023] https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003279679

2. Pahi Saikia, "Ethnic Subnationalist Insurgencies in South Asia Identities, Interests and Challenges to State Authority ed. J.S.Chima" , The Political Economy and Changing Organizational Dynamics of the ULFA Insurgency in Assam , Routledge , vol.NA , pp.NA-NA, [2015]

Books

1. Jugdep Chima, Pahi Saikia, Insurgency in India's Northeast: Identity Formation, Postcolonial Nation/State-Building and Secessionist Resistance, Routledge, September 1 [2023], https://www.routledge.com/Insurgency-in-Indias-Northeast-Ethnicity-Identity-Postcolonial-NationState-Building/Chima-Saikia/p/book/9781032484228

2. Pahi Saikia, Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury, 2019,, India and Myanmar Borderlands: Ethnicity, Security and Connectivity,, 29 November, Routledge., vol.NA, Issue no.NA, pp.NA-NA [2019], https://www.routledge.com/India-and-Myanmar-Borderlands-Ethnicity-Security-and-Connectivity/Saikia-Chaudhury/p/book/9780367364830

3. Pahi Saikia, Ethnic Mobilisation and Violence in Northeast India, Routledge, vol.NA, Issue no.NA, pp.NA-NA [2011], https://www.routledge.com/Ethnic-Mobilisation-and-Violence-in-Northeast-India/Saikia/p/book/9781138660052

Others

1. Pahi Saikia, "Rethinking Connectivity-led-Development in the Northeast: The ‘Security-Development’ Nexus", https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/rethinking-connectivity-led-development-in-the-northeast-the-security-development-nexus [2025]

2. Pahi Saikia, "China’s ‘Mega Hydropower Infrastructure’ on Yarlung Tsangpo: Competing Discourses, ‘Water Wars’ Rhetoric and Riverine Communities", Special Series on Water Security: The Case of Brahmaputra River, Issue no.SPL01 [2025], www.asianconfluence.org

Sl.No Course Code Course Title Level
1 HS 102 Introduction to International Politics B.Tech
2 HS 517 Comparative Politics of Developing Countries
3 HS 570 Paths to policymaking in india MA in Liberal Arts
4 HS 562 International relations and diplomacy MA in Liberal Arts
5 HS 130 Ethnic Conflict and Management B.Tech
6 HS 748 Political Change in South Asia and Southeast Asia Ph.D Programme
7 HS 753 Topics in International Relations MA in Liberal Arts
8 HS 614 Political Participation in Developing Asia MA in Development Studies
9 HS 763 Research Methods in Political Science MA in Liberal Arts
1

Women, local governance and livelihood strategies in conflict zones: An assessment of Karbi Anglong district of Assam
Funding Agency : Indian Council of Social Science Research Delhi
Principal Investigator: Pahi Saikia
Co-investigator:
Duration/Starting Year: 2023-04-01
Status: New
2

India Election Studies (IES) Project, 2019
Funding Agency : Emory University Research Council, US
Principal Investigator: Co-PI
Co-investigator:
Duration/Starting Year: 0000-00-00 to 0000-00-00
Status: Ongoing
3

Building Capacities in Eastern India
Funding Agency : IIT Guwahati
Principal Investigator: Pahi Saikia
Co-investigator:
Duration/Starting Year: 31-12-2011 to 30-09-2013
Status: Completed
4

Decentralization in Assam
Funding Agency : ICSSR, DELHI
Principal Investigator: Pahi Saikia
Co-investigator:
Duration/Starting Year: 01-04-2013 to 04-07-2016
Status: Completed
Sl.No Name Year Dissertation Title
1 KHEMAN RAI CHELAK 2024 RISE OF POLITICAL CONSULTANCIES AND STRATEGIES FOR POLITICAL PARTIES IN INDIAN ELECTIONS
2 Nishant Kumar 2024 Women and Environmental governance :- A case study of Diphu circle in Karbi Anglong district of Assam.
3 AEDLA BHARATH KUMAR 2024 POPULIST STRATEGIES AND INFLUENCE ON ELECTORAL CAMPAIGNING-"A CASE STUDY OF MAHABUBABAD CONSTITUENCY IN TELANGANA
4 Tanaya Hazarika 2021 Election campaigning strategies in new media platform in Assam
5 Arindom Bora 2021 India-Saudi Arabia Energy Security Relations since 2014
6 Anubhav Shankar Goswami 2019 Socio-political movements and demand for Scheduled Tribe status of tea garden workers: A case study of Golaghat District in Assam
7 Debashree Hazarika 2019 Women rebels as Peace Makers and mediators: A Case study of ULFA and Body insurgencies
8 Partha Pratim Basumatary 2019 Framing effects of Newspapers and its influence in the decision making process of voters during elections: A Case study of Dispur and east Guwahati Constituency
9 Pratyush Paras Sarma 2019 Participatory governance and its effect on the implementation of MGNREGA Scheme: A case Study of Niz Bahbari and Kalita Gaon no-2 villages in sonitpur District
10 Syed Masoom Mumeen 2018 Conflict Surrounding Resettlement of Chakma Refugees in Arunachal Pradesh
11 Mahran Alghada 2018 The Role of Sports and its Institutions in Peacemaking: The Case of selected Cities in Syria
12 Anna Elias 2017 Exclusionary urbanization: A study of interstate migrant workers in selected locations in Trivandrum
13 Kabyasree Barman 2017 Role of information and communication technology in higher education institutions: A preliminary study conducted in Guwahati
14 Yova Kumar Boro 2016 Sub-national border conflict between Assam and Nagaland: A case study of Uriamghat
15 Aishwarya Kar 2016 Electoral participation of women in Kamrup district, Assam: factors influencing voters? participation
16 Ankita Karmakar 2016 The ?Stateless? identity and the India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement, 1974
17 Rose Basumatary 2015 Mobilization for Bodoland Movement: A study of the role of all Bodo students Union
18 Hrishikesh Thakur 2015 Youth participation in rural governance: A study with reference to Chattisgarh
19 Ruchinilo Kemp 2015 Community conserved area in Nagaland: Incentives and outcomes
20 Tulika 2015 The Juvenile Justice system in Assam: A case study of the boys observation home at Bamunigaon, Boko
21 Ashok Kumar Dash 2014 Solid waste management and role of urban local Governance: A study on Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) of Guwahati Municipal Corporation
22 Jimmy Sebastian Daimary 2014 Mobilization of youth and rebel recruitment in NDFB rebellion-A case study on the ethnic insurgency movement of Bodos
23 Nazibul Islam 2014 Intergroup violence in Karbi Anglong District of Assam
24 Munni Kumari 2013 Challenges of Community Participation on Lower Subansiri Dam
25 Navajit Khound 2013 Grievance and Separatist Movement: Evidence on Frontier Nagaland Movement
26 Sonia Basumatary 2013 Patterns of Ethnic Mobilisation: Explaining ULFA Insurgency in Assam
27 Stutima Basistha 2013 Conflict induced displacement and State response in the BTAD areas in Assam: A case study of the Bodos and Muslims in Kokrajhar District of Assam
28 Ananta Gogoi 2012 Development-Induced Displacement: A Case Study of Gas Cracker Project at Lepetkota
29 Bhasker Pegu 2012 Ethnic Aspiration and Indian Federal System: The case of Bodoland Movement
30 Kankana Talukdar 2012 State Repression and its Impact on Mobilisation: A case-study of the Armed Forces (special powers) Act 1958, IN Assam and Manipur
31 Parag Jyoti Saikia 2012 Politics of Embankments: A Study of India?s First Geo-tube Embankment
32 Pijush Nath Ethno-federalism and Internal Security in Assam : A case study on Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council

No Data Available!

Sl.No Name Year
No Data Available!
Sl.No Program Name Email Year Thesis/Project Title Affiliation

Awards and Achievements

Award Title : Indo-Shastri

Contribution to Shastri Mobility Grant
Awarded By : MHRD, Government of India
2017-18 International
Award Title : Commonwealth

Contribution to Doctoral research
Awarded By : Commonwealth & Fellowship Programme, Canada & MHRD
2004-2009 International
Award Title : To conduct GIAN course

Contribution to Campaigns, Media & Influence
Awarded By : MHRD, Government of India
15-04-2016 International

Patents

No Data Available!

Sl.No Name of Faculty and co-researcher Title Application No Date of Award Year Status

Attended

Title: Polarization, Intergroup Attitudes and Political Behavior

Name of Conference: 47th Annual Meeting Political Psychology

Holli Semetko, Emory University Kiran Arabaghatta Basavaraj, University College London Anup Kumar, Cleveland State University Subhasish Ray, O.P. Jindal Global University Pahi Saikia, Indian Institute of Technology Yashwant Deshmukh, CVoter, Santiago, Chile Jul 4, 2024 - Jul 6, 2024 International
Title: CAMPAIGNS, ISSUES AND DIGITAL MEDIA

Name of Conference: WAPOR 76th Annual Conference

Holli A. Semetko (Emory University, USA), Pahi Saikia (Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati, India), Susan Banducci (University of Exeter, UK), Kiran Arabaghatta Basavaraj (University College London, UK), Salzburg, Austria Sep 19, 2023 - Sep 22, 2023 International

Name of Conference: APSA, Macquire, Australia

Macquire University Sep 20, 2021 - Sep 22, 2021 International
Title: Elections in India

Name of Conference: 78th Annual MPSA conference

MPSA Chicago (online mode) Apr 14, 2021 - Apr 17, 2021 International
Title: Borders and People Movements: Opportunities and Challenges

Name of Conference: The Age of Multilateralism and Connecting India’s North East: Opportunities and Challenges

Asian Confluence , Indian Council for World Affairs and Ministry of DONER, Govt of India, New Delhi Mar 19, 2018 - Mar 20, 2018 International
Title: Gendered experiences of Conflict and Governance

Name of Conference: Locating Northeast India: Human Mobility, Resource Flows, and Spatial Linkages

Leiden&Dept of Sociology, Tezpur, Tezpur Jan 10, 2018 - Jan 11, 2018 International
Title: Media Coverage of Protest and Contentious Politics

Name of Conference: MPSA

MPSA, Chicago Apr 6, 2017 - Sep 9, 2017 International
Title: Continuous Connectivity: Indias Northeast and Bordering Nations

Name of Conference: ISA

ISA, Baltimore Feb 22, 2017 - Feb 25, 2016 International
Title: Asymmetrical Autonomy and its discontents: Experiences from India

Name of Conference: NZPSA

NZPSA, Wellington Nov 30, 2015 - Dec 3, 2015 International
Title: The Campaign and Mobilization in Assam: Between Violence and Movements for Autonomy and Statehood

Name of Conference: AAS

Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference, Chicago Mar 26, 2015 - Feb 28, 2015 International
Title: Historical Ecology, Land Tenure or Identity Politics? The Evidence on Bodo-Muslim Violence in Assam

Name of Conference: APSA

Australian Political Studies Association, Perth Sep 30, 2013 - Oct 2, 2013 International

Organised

Name of Conference: Language endangerment and Political Violence organized by Professor Shakuntala Mahanta and Professor Pahi Saikia

Department of Political Science, University of North Texas, USA May 14, 2024 - May 15, 2024 International
Title: ICSSR Delhi

Name of Conference: Northeast in Indias Look East Policy: Issues & Opportunities

Oct 28, 2014 - Nov 30, 2014 No.of Partcipants: 70 National
Title: ICSSR Delhi

Name of Conference: India-Myanmar Bilateral Ties: Ethnicity, Security and Connectivity

Mar 25, 2016 - Sep 26, 2016 No.of Partcipants: 40 National

Attended

Title: State-making practices:India's strategic borderlands in the Northeast

Name of Invited Lecture: Invited Lecture

IIT Hyderabad, Liberal Arts Department Oct 16, 2024 - Oct 16, 2024 National
Title: 'Status of Ethnopolitical Conflicts in India's Northeast

Name of Invited Lecture: 'Status of Ethnopolitical Conflicts in India's Northeast

University of North Texas, University of North Texas Jun 26, 2024 International

Name of Invited Lecture: Understanding India’s Eastern and Northeastern Borderlands: Space, Territoriality and Mobility

Assam University, Diphu campus Feb 1, 2024 - Feb 2, 2024 International

Name of Invited Lecture: NE insurgencies & other challenges

Assam Rifles-USI of India Joint Annual Seminar, Delhi May 6, 2022 National

Name of Invited Lecture: Ethnic Homogeneity & Cultural Affinity among Peoples of India’s North Eastern Region and our Extended Neighourhood in South East Asia

Asian Confluence Shillong &Government of Assam Act East Policy Affairs Department, Guwahati Dec 21, 2021 National
Title: India's changing trajectory of FP vis a vis Canada in the recent past.

Name of Invited Lecture: Indo-Shashtri Institute

2021-01-20, Webinar Jan 22, 2021 - Jan 22, 2021 International

Name of Invited Lecture: India's Foreign Policy in the Post-Covid World:India’s Strategy and Global Challenges

Department of Political Science InAssociation with IQAC, Goalpara College Jul 20, 2020 National
Title: Peace, governance and transitional justice

Name of Invited Lecture: Symposium organised by IIT Guwahati on Sarvodaya: The Gandhian Thought

IIT Guwahati Sep 15, 2021 International
Title: INDIA'S STRATEGIC DIPLOMACY IN THE ASIA PACIFIC

Name of Invited Lecture: Virtual Research Outreach Programme R&D SECTION, IIT GUWAHATI IN ASSOCIATION WITH INDIA INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL

IIT Guwahati Dec 18, 2020 National
Title: Peace and Conflict situation

Name of Invited Lecture: Revisiting North Eastern Region Vision 2020:Achievement, Emerging Challenges andReorientation Of Development Strategy ForFuture

State Institute of Panchayat and Rural Development Jul 19, 2025 National

Name of Invited Lecture: India’s Northeast: A gateway to wider cooperative architecture in East and Southeast Asia

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati & Observer Research Foundation, Kolkata Chapter Dec 4, 2020 National
Title: EXPLORING CONNECTIVITY IN THE BAY OF BENGAL REGION: IMPORTANCE OF INDIA'S NORTHEAST

Name of Invited Lecture: Security &Connectivity

Observer Research Foundation, Consulate General of Japan & Ministry of External Affairs (GOI), Webinar Mar 5, 2021 International

Attended

Title: Issues in Mainstreaming University-Community Engagement Practices

Name of Symposium: PRIA

UVIC, UNESCO Chair & PRIA, Delhi Nov 30, -0001 - Nov 30, -0001 International

Organised

Title: British Council & ICSSR Delhi

Name of Workshop: Dialogue on Strengthening Community Engagement in Higher Education Institutions

Sep 17, 2014 - Sep 18, 2014 No.of Partcipants: 50 National
Title: Assam Govt

Name of Workshop: Indias Act East Policy:Locating Northeast

Dec 6, 2017 - Nov 30, -0001 No.of Partcipants: 40 National

Attended

Title: United States Indo-Pacific Strategy: North-Eastern Dialogue

Name of Workshop: United States Indo-Pacific Strategy: North-Eastern Dialogue

ORF, Kolkata, ORF, Kolkata (Online) Sep 30, 2024 - Sep 30, 2024 National

Organised

Title: EXPLORING CONNECTIVITY IN THE BAY OF BENGAL REGION: IMPORTANCE OF INDIA'S NORTHEAST

Name of Seminar:

Observer Research Foundation, Consulate General of Japan & Ministry of External Affairs (GOI), Mar 5, 2021 International
Title: North East in India's Look East: Issues and Opportunities

Name of Seminar:

In Association With JAIR, Kolkata, Indian Council of World Affairs, Public Diplomacy Division, MEA & ICSSR, IIT Guwahati Oct 28, 2014 - Oct 30, 2014 National
Title: ICSSR Delhi

Name of Seminar: BIMSTEC

Observer Research Foundation Feb 17, 2019 - Feb 18, 2019 National
Title: Centre for South East Asian Studies, Gauhati University

Name of Seminar: Rise of Asia

May 2, 2019 - Nov 30, -0001 No.of Partcipants: 30 National
Title: ICSSR Delhi & Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi

Name of Seminar: Continuities and Discontinuities of Asian Engagement: Borders, Mobility and Identity in Northeast India and Asia:

Oct 17, 2013 - Oct 18, 2013 No.of Partcipants: 70 National
Title: ICSSR Delhi

Name of Seminar: Revisiting Partition: concepts, dynamics and manifestations with special focus on north east India

Feb 9, 2017 - Feb 11, 2017 No.of Partcipants: 50 National

Organised

Title: MHRD

Name of Short-term Course: GIAN Course on Campaigns, Media and Influence

Apr 15, 2016 - Apr 20, 2016 No.of Partcipants: 30 National
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