Serendipity : Musings of an Islander

From ATI to Great Nicobar : Development Should Not Leave People Behind By Debkumar Bhadra The NITI Aayog’s proposed Great Nicobar Island Project has once again brought the Andaman and Nicobar Islands into the national spotlight. As more voices join the debate, strong opinions are emerging from different quarters. Many, including the island’s settler population view the mega project comprising an international trans-shipment port, a township and a greenfield airport — as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as well as for India’s strategic future. At the same time, there are opposing voices that fear irreversible ecological damage is in the offing in one of the most fragile island ecosystems. This article attempts to capture the predicament faced by islanders whose voices seems to be overshadowed by organised and well connected narratives dominating the discourse. For a region that has historically struggled with isolation, limited connectivity and ...

A Decade of Rising Ferry Fares, Declining Services : Andaman & Nicobar’s Not-So-Funny April 1 Ritual By Debkumar Bhadra Every year on the  1st of April , the world observes April Fool’s Day—a day associated with harmless pranks and laughter. But for commuters in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the date over the past decade has evoked anxiety rather than amusement. This is because ferry fares unfailingly rise on this day, affecting local economy and the cost of living. This article examines the pattern of fare revision during the past 10 years, including administrative policy framework and the systemic inefficiencies, unravelling the gap between approved norms and actual implementation. The irony is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. When fare revision takes effect unfailingly on a date globally associated with playful deception, it raises an uncomfortable question. Is the timing chosen a mere coincidence or a carefully chosen date? A closer look reveals not just the ...

What began as a demand for a Central University has transformed into a democratic awakening among students By Debkumar Bhadra The recent developments concerning higher education in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands may ultimately be remembered not merely as an institutional transition but as a defining moment in the democratic evolution of the islands themselves. The islands being a UT without legislation, have over the years functioned under a governance structure driven by bureaucratic decision-making headed by the Lt Governor. In such a framework, policy decisions emerge from administrative corridors with limited-to-no consultation with islanders, their elected representatives, including their lone Member of Parliament. This has created a perception that decisions affecting the lives and future of islanders are taken without adequate stakeholder engagement. The latest and most consequential of such decisions has been the establishment of the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose I...

By Debkumar Bhadra The decision to establish the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Institute of Higher Learning (NSCBIHL) as a deemed-to-be university marks a defining moment for higher education in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. For decades, the islands have aspired to build a locally administered university ecosystem. In principle, the creation of a university within the islands is a welcome and long-awaited step toward academic autonomy and regional development. However, the manner and timing of its implementation have pushed the island's students into academic uncertainty that merits thoughtful consideration rather than outright dismissal. The transformation from affiliation under Pondicherry University (a Central University) to a newly constituted Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Institute of Higher Learning (NSCBIHL), a deemed-to-be university represents a fundamental shift in the island's academic landscape. Establishing a university from scratch is not merely a matter of no...