The Barak river, which becomes the Surma and Kushiyara in Bangladesh, rises in the:

The Barak river rises in the Manipur hills, near Liyai Khullen village in the Senapati district of Manipur, close to the Nagaland border, in the Japvo (Japfu) range area.

Course of the Barak:

• It flows south through Manipur and then turns west, forming part of the border between Manipur and Mizoram.
• It enters the Cachar plains of southern Assam, called the Barak Valley, flowing past Silchar.
• Near the Bangladesh border, it divides into two branches, the Surma (northern) and the Kushiyara (southern).
• In Bangladesh, these rivers rejoin to form the Meghna, which joins the combined Ganga-Brahmaputra flow before entering the Bay of Bengal.
• Its length in India is about 564 km.
• It is the second largest river system of north-eastern India, after the Brahmaputra.

The Barak Valley:

• The Barak Valley of Assam includes the districts of Cachar, Karimganj (renamed Sribhumi) and Hailakandi.
• Silchar is the main city.
• The valley is known for tea gardens and rice cultivation.

Tributaries:

Jiri, Dhaleswari (Tlawng), Sonai, Katakhal, Longai and Singla are among its tributaries.

Tipaimukh Dam:

A large dam, the Tipaimukh Dam, has been proposed on the Barak at its confluence with the Tuivai river in Manipur, for hydropower and flood control. It has faced opposition from local communities and from Bangladesh, because of possible effects downstream.

National Waterway:

The Lakhipur-Bhanga stretch of the Barak is declared National Waterway 16.

Manipur:

Manipur means "land of jewels". Its capital is Imphal, located in a valley surrounded by hills.

The Imphal river and other streams of the Manipur valley drain south into Myanmar, while the Barak flows west towards Assam.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Khasi and Garo hills are in Meghalaya.
• ✗The Mizo hills are in Mizoram, which the Barak touches only along the border.