One of the 29 states of India, Tripura is located in the north-east of the country. In the colonial period, in the territories of Tripuri tribes that spoke the Kokborok language there was a native kingdom, dependency of the British Empire. Because of their proximity, Bengali cultural centers (primarily Calcutta) had a significant influence on the Tripuri elites and population. After India gained independence, the principality became part of the country as a union territory, administered directly by the federal government. Of great importance for the further development was the division of British India into Hindu and Muslim (Pakistan) parts. It was accompanied by massive migrations of Hindu Bengalis from East Pakistan (Bangladesh) to Tripura. As a consequence representatives of mountain tribes, who formerly constituted a numerical majority in the province, became a minority; likewise Bengalis took the key positions in the state. After the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 followed by the reorganization of the north-eastern territories of India, Tripura received state status.
As a state, Tripura was established as a result of a territorial division between India and Pakistan - as a Bengal-Hindu region juxtaposed to the Bengal-Muslim population of East Pakistan. Therefore, it is more accurate to consider the Hindu Bengalis as a titular group in the state; at present, they constitute the majority of the population (65-70%). By language and religion, Hindu Bengalis are close to the main population of the country, which professes Hinduism and speaks Hindi (Bengali, like Hindi, refers to the Indo-Aryan languages).
Kokborok, the language of the "indigenous people" of Tripura, belongs to the Tibet-Burmese language group; it is recognized as the official language of the province along with Bengali and English. Most of Tripuri profess Hinduism, but there are also Christians among them. For the indigenous tribes, a special autonomous district was established. Nevertheless, a significant part of indigenous people is dissatisfied with the dominant position of Bengalis and constitute a basis for mobilization. The National Liberation Front of Tripura is especially active in this regards; it is based on the Christian part of the indigenous population and claims to establish the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in Tripura.
