In the 1960s, the state of Assam in Northeast India underwent a significant reorganization to form several new states, acknowledging the region's rich ethnic and cultural diversity. The process began in 1963 with the creation of Nagaland, carved out from the Naga Hills district of Assam and parts of Tuensang, becoming India's 16th state. This move recognized the unique cultural identity of the Naga people. Following this, the demands of the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo people led to the formation of an autonomous state within Assam in 1970, encompassing the Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills, and Garo Hills. By 1972, this autonomous region was granted full statehood, emerging as Meghalaya. That same year, Arunachal Pradesh, formerly known as the North-East Frontier Agency, and Mizoram, which included the Mizo Hills in the south, were separated from Assam as union territories. In 1986, both of these territories achieved full statehood.^[44]