Western Assam was known as Pragjyotisha in Mahabharata and other Sanskrit epics. Kamarupa (Western Assam) and Davaka (Central Assam) in the 1st millennium.
The academic consensus is that the current name is based on the English word Assam by which the British referred to the tract covered by the Brahmaputra valley and its adjoining areas. The named Assam applied to most of North East India including Brahmaputra and Barak river valleys, hills of Arunachal Pradesh (NEFA), Mizoram (Lushai Hills), Nagaland (Naga Hills) and Meghalaya (Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills.
As evidenced from Satyendra Nath Sarma's quote that Assam (Eastern Assam) was known as Asama after 15th century till arrival of British. One of many theory states that Assam name derived from Sanskrit word "Asama" meaning unequal as referring to its geology which is equal mix of river valleys and hills, though several other theories also exists. The British province after 1838 and the Indian state after 1947 came to be known as Assam.
The academic consensus is that the current name is based on the English word Assam by which the British referred to the tract covered by the Brahmaputra valley and its adjoining areas. The named Assam applied to most of North East India including Brahmaputra and Barak river valleys, hills of Arunachal Pradesh (NEFA), Mizoram (Lushai Hills), Nagaland (Naga Hills) and Meghalaya (Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills.
As evidenced from Satyendra Nath Sarma's quote that Assam (Eastern Assam) was known as Asama after 15th century till arrival of British. One of many theory states that Assam name derived from Sanskrit word "Asama" meaning unequal as referring to its geology which is equal mix of river valleys and hills, though several other theories also exists. The British province after 1838 and the Indian state after 1947 came to be known as Assam.
