By: C.M. Paul
Guwahati: A Darjeeling hills Mukhia tribal scholar presented his doctoral study on the impact of Christianity on his fellow hills tribal communities of Lepcha and Tamang at Assam Don Bosco University Guwahati, 18 May 2017.

The Ph.D. thesis by Assistant Professor at Salesian College Sonada Terence Mukhia is entitled “Impact of Christianity on the Lepcha and Tamang Tribal Communities in the Darjeeling District (1841-2017): A Philosophical Perspective”.

The research was undertaken at Assam Don Bosco University under the supervision of Salesian Father Dr. Mathew George of Kolkata.

The four year long research was funded by Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR), New Delhi from where the research scholar, Terence Mukhia, passed Junior Research Fellowship (JRF).

The thrust of the thesis says Mukhia, “is on the impact of Christianity on the Lepcha and Tamang tribal communities in the Darjeeling District from a philosophical perspective.”

The study uses qualitative method keeping philosophical approach as the basic approach and follows poly-methodic approach.

Mukhia adds, “Besides providing historical background of Christianity in Darjeeling hills, the study chronicles its development (up to 2012) in the Darjeeling district.”

The study further elaborates upon major aspects of philosophy, belief system and culture of the Tamang and the Lepcha tribal communities.

The study also highlights the impact of Christianity among the two tribes in the areas of philosophy, religion, culture, education and health & hygiene.

Finally, the entire thesis divided into nine chapters culminating to 427 pages concludes by presenting the negative and the positive aspects of the impact of Christianity on the Tamang and the Lepcha tribal communities.

Senior most faculty member Mr Mukhia has been teaching Philosophy to seminarians at Salesian College for some 20 years and English language to college students for some 15 years at Saleisan College Sonada. Besides being Campus Coordinator Mr Mukhia is also IGNOU Coordinator at Salesian College and President of Sonada United Christian Minority welfare Society. A prolific writer both in English and Nepali languages Mr Mukhia has seven books, 100 plus scientific articles and 100 plus poems published.