The Didayi (A Tribe in Search of an Identity)

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This book explores the way of life of the Didayi, a small primitive hill tribe of the undivided Koraput district of Odisha, who live on a 4000-foot plateau in the Eastern Ghat range. The Didayi community's social, cultural, political, and economic aspects are covered in the book. Students and teachers studying anthropology, sociology, political science, tribal studies, and cultural studies will find this book interesting.

Dr. B.N. Ray is a former Professor in the Department of Political Science at Pondicherry Central University. He had taught for more than 42 years at the University of Delhi. He has authored more than 15 books on Political Theory, Political Philosophy, Indian Political Thought, Western Political Thought, Citizenship and Human Rights. His three books are in the press.

Sometimes certain things happen without your intention or design. I was teaching Western Political Thought at Delhi University for 25 years, and I have never thought that I would write a book on Indian Political Thought. But a situation came up that forced me to write a book on Indian Political Thought. The Department of Political Science, Delhi University was organizing a workshop on Indian Political thought. I was appointed as the coordinator of the workshop. I had invited Prof. V.R. Mehta, the Vice Chancellor of Delhi University, to inaugurate the workshop. When he was leaving he told me "BN you should write a book on Indian Political Thought". I was surprised and politely told him that I have no grounding in Indian Political Thought except reading of certain political thinkers. He said, "BN, you have a solid ground in Western Political Thought; you can easily handle Indian Political Thought offering a comparative analysis of ideas and concepts between Indian Political Thinkers and Western Political Thinkers, it would be a brilliant book".