The India Development Review Northeast Fellowship is a 10-month programme during which three young fellows based in different states in the Northeast are working closely with IDR’s editorial team to identify and cover hyperlocal issues in their immediate environment. These stories will inform the ecosystem of policymakers, funders, and nonprofits that work, and intend to work, on issues concerning the Northeast.
Our fellows for the year 2025-26 are Hansatanu Roy, a film-maker and conservationist from Tripura; Malsawmdawngliani Tara, a radio presenter and an academic from Mizoram; and Samme Massar, a communications developer from Meghalaya. They will travel both within and beyond their states to speak to community members, nonprofit leaders, and other stakeholders, and publish a mix of written narratives and multimedia content on a range of social sector themes such as livelihoods, education, health, and gender.
To connect us with the nonprofits and civil society organisations working in Northeast India, please write to us at fellowship@idronline.org.
The Fellows
Hansatanu Roy
Hansatanu Roy is a former Green Hub Northeast fellow. He’s interested in film-making and conservation research, and has previously worked with Institute of Public Health in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Hansatanu has a master’s in physics from Dibrugarh University.
Malsawmdawngliani Tara
Malsawmdawngliani Tara is a radio presenter at All India Radio, Aizawl, Mizoram. She is also an academic and a poet. Tara’s literary essays have appeared in academic journals and her poems have been published in Teesta Review and Mizo Poetry Society. She uses writing as a form of self-expression and as a medium for voicing concerns around gender, environment, and the society.
Samme Massar
Samme Massar is communications developer who works on public relations at Faith Foundation, a nonprofit based in Shillong, Meghalaya. He is a videographer with a deep love for storytelling, and believes that stories can lead to meaningful impact. In his free time, Samme enjoys playing and watching football.
The Advisers
Jerry Thomas
Jerry Thomas is the director at Bosco Institute in Jorhat, Assam which runs a masters in social work programme. He also leads BI’s Youth Involve initiative that incubates young social entrepreneurs in the Northeast. Jerry has over 40 years of experience working in the social sector in Northeast.
Neikule Doulo
Neikule Doulo is the executive director at The Entrepreneurs Associates, a nonprofit based in Nagaland that focuses on empowering women, farmers, and the youth. She has more than 22 years of experience of working on entrepreneurship and education, and has expertise in conceptualising community initiatives and strategising policies for change. Neikule was previously as a journalist with Asian News International.
Rita Banerji
Rita Banerji is the founder and project director at the Green Hub Project, which runs the Green Hub Fellowship that empowers young people in North East India to use the medium of visual storytelling to take charge of their development narrative. Rita is an environmental filmmaker with a focus on conservation-based storytelling. She is also an Ashoka fellow.
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