Volume VI Special Issue VI September 2026

Name of Author : Alex Laiphrakpam, Dr. Ngangom Jasantakumar Singh

Title of the paper : Colonial Governance in the Hills: Examining the Administrative Strategies in Manipur

Abstract: This study examines the colonial governance strategies in the hill regions of Manipur, focusing on the administrative and social policies implemented by the British from 1891 onwards. The British approach, driven by military force and economic extraction, sought to maintain control over the hill communities while creating divisions among them and between the hill and valley populations. Utilizing Lal Denas insights, the paper highlights the punitive measures employed to suppress resistance, such as forced labor, house taxes, and punitive expeditions, which often exacerbated hostility among the hill tribes. The policy of divide and rule perpetuated inter-tribal conflicts and furthered the marginalization of hill communities. The advent of Christian missionaries, facilitated by British governance, introduced profound cultural shifts in the region. Conversion efforts brought Western education, medical advancements, and literary contributions but also fostered religious and social divides between the Hindu Meiteis in the valley and Christianized hill tribes. Missionary endeavors, notably those of William Pettigrew, also contributed to linguistic and literary development, producing translations and linguistic studies that remain significant. This paper underscores how colonial administrative practices and missionary activities reshaped the socio political and cultural landscape of Manipur, leaving enduring legacies of division and transformation among its diverse communities.

Keywords : Colonial governance, Manipur hill tribes, Divide and rule, Missionary activities, Socio cultural transformation

DOI :

Page Number : 202-207