Diphu

Diphu is a hill town in Assam and the administrative centre of Karbi Anglong. It gained prominence after Independence, when the Government of India created the “United Mikir and North Cachar Hills” district in 1951 to administer the tribal hill areas; Diphu then grew as a headquarters town. In 1970, the district was reorganised and the Mikir Hills district was created with Diphu as its headquarters; it was officially renamed Karbi Anglong in 1976.

During the late colonial period, the surrounding hills were treated as a special administrative area (often described as a Scheduled/Partially Excluded hill region), which shaped local governance and identity.

Diphu is also the meeting place of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council under the Sixth Schedule. Local traditions connect the name “Diphu” to indigenous languages; a widely repeated explanation links it to Dimasa words meaning “white water,” associated with nearby streams.

Over time, Diphu became a commercial and cultural hub for Karbi people and neighbouring communities, supported by road and rail links that connect the hills with Assam’s plains. With institutions like Assam University’s Diphu campus, it also serves as an education centre.