Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Economists and researchers gathered at Dibru College in Dibrugarh this Thursday. The two-day seminar, titled Two Hundred Years of Assam Tea: Innovations, Sustainability and Rural Transformation, examined the sector's history and future. The Indian Council of Social Science Research sponsored the event. Governing body president Kalyan Bhuyan inaugurated a book fair and tea exhibition to kick off the proceedings.
Principal Ranjan Changmai stressed the need for academic debate on the industry. Seminar convenor Jayanta Saud invited students to engage with visiting scholars. MP Bezbaruah, a former Gauhati University professor, delivered the keynote address. He challenged standard history, noting that the Singpho community utilized tea plants long before British commercial efforts. Bezbaruah credited a Singpho chief for introducing the plant to Robert Bruce.
The professor described the colonial era as an enclave economy. It kept ties to the local market minimal. He noted that plantation expansion drove the growth of railways and coal mining. European firms relied on an indentured labor system with long-term impacts. Today, small tea growers drive half of the state's green-leaf production. Bezbaruah said this shift marks a major change. The industry faces climate change, price swings, and aging bushes.
BBC News editorial lead Sachin Gogoi moderated a panel on heritage and markets. Speakers included Mandira Sarma, Deb Kumar Chakraborty, and Singpho heritage custodian Manje La. Manje La highlighted the traditional Phalap tea culture. The day concluded with 28 research papers across three technical sessions. Mofidul Hassan, Pranab Paul, and Manash Jyoti Konwar chaired these talks.
Friday focused on labor welfare. Experts Alok Ranjan Dutta, Kaustubh Kumar Deka, and Bipul Kumar Rabha joined a panel moderated by Mandira Sarma. They debated rights and future livelihoods for workers. The event sought to bridge the gap between indigenous knowledge and modern economic needs.
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