Bureaucrat offers a window to Arunachal Pradesh

History of Arunachal Pradesh is told in a lucid, anecdotal style through historic milestones which changed the shape of the Northeast.

- VIJAY KRANTI

Few books from either side of the "Chicken's Neck"—the narrow Siliguri Corridor linking India's eight North Eastern states to the rest of the country—succeed in presenting the region's history simply and lucidly. "In Between The Blurry Lines" by Sonam Chombay, a senior Arunachal Pradesh bureaucrat, does so with rare clarity. It recounts the state's past through 14 defining events that shaped Arunachal Pradesh—and India.

Sonam, an Arunachali of commissioner rank in the state administration, chose not to follow a dry, chronological approach. Instead, he picked milestone events and narrated them with anecdotes to keep readers engaged. The brisk pace and lively storytelling show the wisdom of his choice.