Re: Linguistics in a Colonial World:

Odd he should do that, given that the Nagas,
Kashmiris, Sikkimese et al. see Indians as

colonialists 

The Indians are unfortunately suffer from multi identity crisis. This almost always gets them into a crisis. The partisan identity matrices force them to often get confused.  A westerner often can introduce himself with few words - I am an anglo saxon with some timur blood thrown in...

But even a "pure" Indian can not easily identify himself- I am a Telugu, I am a Hindu, my gothra is my sutra is , I hail from (which town?) and last but not least, my caste , sub caste, sect is ...................May be I have forgotten some parameters.

I may sound unpatriotic and self diminutive but this is true. 

For eg., Assamese found Bengalese as colonists.  Nizami Maharashtrian districts find Telugu people colonists. Why, the current Telangana agitation for a separate state  is not against someone outsider but their own linguistic brothers from Coastal Andhra districts.

Inspite of this, the Unity in diversity persists and Indians persist to unite in the face of  small and big crises-whether it is a train accident or a trans border occupation bid from China or Pakistan.

Kishore patnaik