Acknowledgement

It is indeed a part of the research work to acknowledge those who have assisted in preparing this PhD thesis.

At the very outset I would like to express my gratitude and acknowledge former supervisor Prof. Binod Kumar Agarwala, former Dean and Head of the department of Philosophy, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong for giving me a ground on the research area. I must be thankful to him for his encouragement and freedom to do this research and guiding me to prepare this thesis through the years without which it would not have been possible to complete this thesis.

Secondly, I would to like to express my gratitude and acknowledgement to my supervisor Dr. Aribam Uttam Sharma, Asstt. Prof. of Dept of Philosophy, NorthEastern Hill University, Shillong, who overtook supervision of the work from Prof. Binod Kumar Agarwala after his superannuation, for his constant encouragement, guidance, supervision and assistance.

I am also thankful to all other teaching and non-teaching staffs of the department of Philosophy for their help and encouragement during my research work.

I would like to express my gratitude and acknowledge to the North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong Campus, Shillong for providing me four years of financial assistance in doing this research work.

I acknowledge and offer heartiest thankful to my family members, my father Late Bhadreswar Sonowal, mother Mrs. Keteki Sonowal, and dearest elder and younger sisters for their encouragement, economic support, assistance and blessing in every stage of life.

I would also like to thank my fellow scholars Sunitibala Yumnam, Lunnehoi Thangeo, Reter Badak, Shaiborlang Kharsyntew, Jovi War, Arpana Ramchiary, Ivy Borgohain, Dipu Basumatary, Debojit Pegu from North-Eastern Hill University, Dipen Ranjan Panging M. Sc, M. Phil (NEHU) and Pliza Kachari M.A., M. Phil (MSSV) for their help and cooperation in the entire research process.

Finally, I would like to thank to God and all others who have directly or indirectly helped me for this research work.