Transnational existence on Indian borders: An interview with Pradeep Damodaran
Authors :- P Pati, IW Longkumer
Publication :- Journal of Postcolonial Writing, Taylor and Francis Group, 2025
The borders that India shares with Pakistan, Bangladesh, and China are clear evidence of colonial decisions made by the Mughal and British Empires. The consequences are visible even today in the multifaceted experiences of border inhabitants. Pradeep Damodaran’s book on Indian borderlands focuses on those subtle layers of border life. In the travelogue, Damodaran unveils the cross-border exchanges that he observes along India’s borders due to geographic, linguistic, ethnic, and cultural similarities and connections. He illustrates how the borderlands represent areas of postcolonial resistance that challenge the establishment of clear-cut divisions among national communities. The book, therefore, initiates a discussion about the margins of a nation and the complex connections that exist beyond the boundary lines, emphasizing how regional identities are dynamic. This conversation with Damodaran analyses the role of the travelogue in representing border spaces, marginalized voices, state border control, and the limited autonomy of the border inhabitants.