India, Oct. 28 -- Thunder rumbled over the mountain ridges, but it was not the heavens that trembled-it was the sound of Thuingaleng Muivah returning to his homeland after six decades.

The ground itself seemed to pulse with history as thousands thronged the tiny village of Somdal, Manipur, their hopes intertwined with the destiny of the Naga peace process itself.

For decades, Muivah was a name whispered both in fear and longing-a revolutionary-turned-legend who led the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) from jungles and distant negotiating tables.

His homecoming in 2025 comes at a volatile moment for Northeast India: since 2023, ethnic unrest in Manipur has claimed over 260 lives and displaced 70,000, plunging...