Prof-Files #11 | Dr. Thanggoulen Kipgen

Literature Recommendation :

Northeast Migrants in Delhi by Duncan McDuie-Ra. Check out M.N. Srinivas and André Bateille as well.

They use very simple language and avoid jargon – perfect for students starting out.

Movie Recommendation :

Axone.

(It’s on both NetFlix and Prime!)

Music Recommendation :

Taylor Swift, Coldplay, The Beatles, Dream Theatre! I love Fix You, and Hey Jude.

Favourite Theorists :

Max Weber, Émile Durkheim.

(My foundations began in Classical Sociology.)

Food Spot Recommendation :

T. Nagar food stalls and street food. There are a couple of really nice seaside restaurants near Marina! The Northeast stores around Choolaimedu and Velachery are also great – I love cooking with the things you can buy there.

Travel Recommendation :

The Northeast, for sure. Shillong, Gangtok, Arunachal.

The sense of community involvement and cleanliness in these places is amazing.

A Course I’d Like to Introduce :

Studies on Northeast India/Tribes. Going into the history, culture and polity of the Northeast. It is a very complex region!

To Unwind I… :

Play football. (It’s in my blood – I’m a big fan of Brazil, and Neymar). I play music, I sing and play the guitar/ukulele. (I’ve played in bands and performed rock songs in Delhi). You can look up Shillong Tolpi and O Goldam on YouTube to see me playing!

Research Tip :

Enjoy your research, the PhD is a long journey. You will learn a lot of lessons about life which will help you post-PhD . It is like a long journey in a car, remember to stop sometime and refuel!

In Chennai, I’m Looking Forward To :

Exploring the music studios here.

If Not a Prof :

I would be a footballer, or a musician.


Interview by Article 19

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