Normative Foundations of Human Rights and Indigenous Self-Determination: Reassessing the Intellectual Legacy of Taren Boro

This paper critically examines the normative foundations of human rights and indigenous self-determination through the intellectual and ideological contributions of Taren Boro (1955-2026), a leading Bodo thinker, author, and peace promoter. Situating his ideas within constitutional theory, indigenous nationalism, international human-rights law, and sub-national political movements, the study reassesses Bodo nationalism as a rights-based, democratic, and constitutionally anchored project rather than a separatist or insurgent ideology. Drawing upon the Bodo Movement, the Bodo Accord, the roles of NDFB and BLT, and the cultural interventions of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha, this research highlights how Taren Boro’s intellectual legacy offers a sustainable framework for indigenous self-determination grounded in human dignity, equality, and social justice. The paper further integrates international legal norms, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and United Nations principles on indigenous peoples, to contextualise Bodo aspirations within global human-rights discourse.