By: Zahid Ahmed Tapadar
In Lookin’ Within: My Reflections, Pramod Boro, CEM of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), offers a deeply introspective and timely memoir that goes beyond the genre of political autobiography. This is not just the story of a leader’s rise; it is the parallel journey of a land and its people—moving from decades of conflict and marginalisation toward a vision of peace, resilience, and inclusive progress.
The book begins in the fields of Souraguri, where Boro was born into a humble farming family. His childhood was shaped by hardship, systemic neglect, and limited access to education and healthcare. Early personal tragedies—like his sister’s near-death due to medical apathy and his mother’s repeated struggles with failing health systems—left an indelible impact. These experiences, recounted with honesty and quiet strength, form the emotional and ethical core of his life’s journey.
From these roots, Boro’s rise as a student leader with the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) forms the second arc of the memoir. His account of grassroots mobilisation—especially the innovative school motivation camps that reignited education in backward areas—highlights how leadership built on community listening and collective action can leave a lasting legacy. His path eventually leads to the political realm, culminating in his pivotal role in the historic Bodo Peace Accord of 2020.
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The signing of the Accord marked a decisive moment, and the memoir treats it with the significance it deserves. For Boro, peace is not the end of struggle—it is the beginning of a new responsibility. He outlines how his administration approached this responsibility with vision and urgency, through a governance model focused on healing, dignity, and people-centric policies.
As CEM of BTR, Boro outlines how his government began shaping a new era—what he calls a “Peaceful, Smart, and Green Bodoland.” His philosophy of governance is not abstract. It is grounded in concrete, people-centred initiatives aimed at reversing years of neglect. He describes how governance becomes meaningful when it emerges from lived realities—whether it’s reforming education through the Bodoland School Adoption Programme and Super-50 coaching, ensuring land security through Mission Bwiswmuthi, or reintegrating former insurgents through Fin Rwdwmkhang Bithangki (Bloom Again Mission).
The memoir also speaks of Bodoland’s growing place in India’s developmental framework. Boro draws connections between his regional vision and national missions like Viksit Bharat@2047. His reflections on policy, peace, and transformation are framed not just as administrative reports but as values-based responses to people’s aspirations. The voice that emerges is one of quiet conviction and service, not political grandstanding.
What makes this book particularly compelling is its philosophical depth. Pramod Boro’s worldview is shaped by his reverence for Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of nonviolence, and Bodofa Upendra Nath Brahma, the father figure of the Bodo movement. Their legacies inform his belief in leadership as seva—service with humility, courage, and moral clarity.
The memoir also touches on wider regional and global themes. From India’s outreach to Bhutan to the changing narrative of the Northeast, Boro situates Bodoland within a broader vision of peace-building and regional cooperation. His thoughts on emotional education, youth leadership, and the need to teach peace in schools suggest that the book is as much a blueprint for the future as it is a reflection on the past.
In tone and style, the writing is reflective and accessible. Personal memories blend seamlessly with policy insights, creating a reading experience that is both moving and informative. The book does not avoid hard truths, nor does it dwell on them unnecessarily. It is ultimately a story of healing—not only for the author but for a people and their land.
At its core, Lookin’ Within is not merely a collection of recollections. It is a visionary document—a blueprint for a beautiful and prosperous Bodoland, where peace is institutionalised, youth lead with purpose, and all communities rise together. Pramod Boro’s vision stands on the pillars of equity, sustainability, cultural pride, and participatory governance. By responding directly to people’s aspirations—not from above, but from within—he invites every citizen to take part in the co-creation of a better future.
Though rooted in the Bodo homeland, the memoir offers universal lessons on justice, leadership, and the transformative power of hope. It reminds us that true peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of dialogue, trust, and equal opportunity. Lookin’ Within is, in the truest sense, a people’s memoir written through the lens of a leader who dared to dream differently.
In essence, readers may say this memoir is not just the story of a leader—it is the reflection of a people, their trials, their transformations, and their trust in a better future. Lookin’ Within is an invitation to dream anew, to govern with heart, and to walk together—toward peace, purpose, and progress.
This book is a must-read for peacebuilders, policymakers, educators, political science students, and anyone who believes in people-led change.
Title: Lookin’ Within: My Reflections
Author: Pramod Boro
Genre: Autobiography / Political Memoir
Format: Hardcover
Price: ₹350
