October 18, 2015 – Page 3

48 hours bandh by Kuki JAC on Kadangband killings begins

KANGPOKPI, October 18: The proposed 48 hr total bandh in hill district of the state by the Joint Action Committee against the killing of Khupneilal Neihsiel and Robert Hesei Kipgen

KANGPOKPI, October 18: The proposed 48 hr total bandh in hill district of the state by the Joint Action Committee against the killing of Khupneilal Neihsiel and Robert Hesei Kipgen begin this midnight.

The JAC had contemplated on the 48 hr total bandh to show discontentment and dissatisfaction over the delay in furnishing the magisterial probe report pertaining to the Kadangband killings by the Government within the stipulated three months time even.

The Trans Asian Highway No.1, the main lifeline of the state is likely to be affected massively as projected in every bandh and blockade since it has become the main targeted highway by every bandh and blockade supporters in the state.

According to reliable source of the JAC all Government institutions, business establishments, and vehicular movement in hill districts will be completely bring to a halt during the total bandh while educational institutions will be exempted from the purview of the bandh apart from medical, water, power, religious ceremonial and media.

Speaking to media person this evening at Kangpokpi, JAC Convener Thangminlen Haokip said that we are extremely discontent over the delay in tabling the report pertaining to the magisterial probe in the alleged encounter between KNF and personnel of 8 AR on January 28, 2015 at Kadangband.

He continued that the state Government sincerely assured to tabled the magisterial probe report within three months after it

Police department breaks its own newly introduced rule to reshuffle postings of personnel

IMPHAL, October 18: The Manipur government has once again affected a reshuffle of transfer and postings of Inspectors of Police (male/civil) contravening an earlier order of the Manipur Police Department

It may be recalled that on January 22 this year, the Public Relations Officer of the Police Department had notified an official order titled `New Transfer & Posting Policy of Non-Gazetted Civil Police/MR/IRB Personnel Implemented in Manipur Police Department`.

The notice had said: `Based on an order issued by the Home Department, Government of Manipur, spelling out the new transfer and posting policy, the Manipur Police Department has recently implemented the new policy on `transfer and posting`™ of police personnel of all non-gazetted personnel of civil police, Manipur Rifles battalions and India Reserve Battalions of Manipur Police Department`

This policy in brief said that there will be periodical rotational transfer of all non-gazetted police personnel from valley to hill and vice-versa in accordance with fixed posting tenure.

This means, the notice had explained, that each tenure of posting in the valley area is of 4(four) years while in respect of the hill areas it is of 2(two) years.

It had also further said all directly recruited personnel of different ranks are to be posted after completion of training to any of the hill districts and Jiribam for a minimum period of 2 (two) years. Thereafter, they are to be posted again to one of the hill districts for another 2 (two) years.

The order had further said the same rotational transfer/posting policy of 29two) years in the hills and 4(four) years in the valley is also applicable to all ministerial, medical and non-combatant staff as far as practicable.

However, not long after this order, the Director General of Police, Shahid Ahmad, issued an order on April 7, 2015, (No. E/37/20/2007-PHQ

Kuki Students Organisation CCpur to support bandh

CCpur, Oct 18: Meanwhile the Kuki Students` Organisation Churachandpur in a press release declared it will support the 48-hrs bandh called by JAC Against the Khodangband killing as per instruction

CCpur, Oct 18: Meanwhile the Kuki Students` Organisation Churachandpur in a press release declared it will support the 48-hrs bandh called by JAC Against the Khodangband killing as per instruction from KSO GHQ. During the said bandh all vehiculer movement, business establishments and government institutions will be wholly shutdown.

However, educational institutions, medical, water supply, power supply, media, religious ceremonies and vehicles ferrying students will be relax from the purview of the bandh, the release said. KSO Churachandpur appeal to the general public of Churachandpur to co-operate, support the bandh and lend a helping hand to the volunteers if need arise.

It may be mention that the JAC agaist the Khodangband killing was formed against the killing of Khupneilal Neihsiel and Robert Hesei Kipgen on the 28th January 2015 at Khadangband in a fake encounter by 8AR personnel after way laying them.

The govt. had constituted a magisterial enquiry vide order No. 20/1(13)/2013-H(LC)p dated 31 January 2015 over the `fake encounter` in which one innocent civilian and one officer of KNF was killed.

The govt. had promised to furnished the report within three months from the date of enquiry, which is now long overdue as eight months have passed and the report is still not completed.

To show discontentment and dissatisfaction over the delay, the JAC had called 48hrs bandh all over in the hill districts of Manipur from midnight of October 18, the release further said.

NE entrepreneurers take part in world`s largest handicrafts and gifts fair 2015

NEW DELHI September 18 (MIC): North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited (NEDFI) has been providing an opportunity for the upcoming Entrepreneurs of Handicraft Sector from North East India to enter into `Export Business`™ through participating in the NEDFi`™s pavilion in the Indian Handicrafts and Gifts Fair (IHGF) organized by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) at India Exposition Mart, Greater Noida, UP for many years.

In this five-day event of this year from October 14 to 18 which was concluded today, NEDFI provided the opportunity to nine entrepreneurs from Assam, two from Manipur, one from Sikkim and the Bodoland Regional Apex Weavers & Artisans Cooperative Federation Limited for showcasing their products to foreign buyers.

Appreciating the initiatives of NEDFi; Babita Keisham of Natural Textile Collection from Nagamapal Paonam Leikai, Imphal who dealt in Kauna craft products said, `It is a great platform for showcasing and exporting the unique products of the North East India to the foreign buyers. We get the opportunity to interact with the buyers from Australia, Italy, USA, and Spain. Kauna mat has been the main attraction of the buyers after the globalization of Yoga.`

Indira Chirom of Chanu Creations from Thangmeiband Lairenhanjaba Leikai, Imphal who dealt in handloom and home furnishing items said, `Rebecca Hawkins of Celadon, USA has ordered for 150 pieces of throws and cushion items; Riveieres from France 150 piece each of five different colours of Lashing Phee and Mille et Claire from France 250 pieces of floor cushions`. She took part the Fair under NEDFi from 2008.

The various products put up on display at the NEDFi`™s pavilion were silk based products, bamboo and cane products, water hyacinth products, decorative candle, natural dyed silk products, natural dyed silk and cotton stoles, gift and decorative items, home furnishing items and Kauna craft products.

From Assam; Akshya Shree of Arusha Associates, Guwahati dealt in home furnishing items; Bapan Sarkar of Nirman Fabric, Guwahati in handloom stoles and home furnishing; Utpal Sharma of Overseas Trade link, Guwahati in bamboo and natural dyed products; Priyanka Bora of Sanskriti the Designer Collection, Tinsukia in lifestyles accessories; Nasrin Ahmed of NE Texture, Guwahati in handloom stoles and home furnishing; Priyam Hazarika of North East Development Forum, Sivasagar in handicrafts bags and baskets; Gautam Roy Choudhury of I-Weave Handloom Industry of Guwahati in handloom Muga products; Jeenu Muchahary of Kajee creation of Bongaigaon in Eri silk based products; and Grameen Sahar of Chaygaon, Kamrup in Eri silk based handlooms.

Sangay Paidel Bhutia of Zeyma, Ranka dealing in organic handmade lamps was the lone participant from Sikkim.

The 40th edition of world`™s largest handicrafts and gifts fair, IHGF Delhi Fair Autumn 2015 attracted 2,700 exhibitors of handicrafts drawn from all over the country to exhibit a wide range of products spread over 14 halls covering around 1,90,000 sq. m.

Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts so far organized 39 editions of the IHGF in series, which had come to be recognized as `one stop sourcing event` amongst the overseas buying community and as a very effective marketing medium amongst the Indian exporting community.

The fair offered opportunity to the exhibitors and buyers to transact business under one roof at the show venue.

Sceptical about Sceptics

Healthy scepticism is recommended on any public issue. This is what the time worn cliche `scientific temper` is all about. Never let anything go by without having it first pass

Healthy scepticism is recommended on any public issue. This is what the time worn cliche `scientific temper` is all about. Never let anything go by without having it first pass through an intense scrutiny keeping in mind Murphy`™s Law that if anything can go wrong, it will. Or the derivative of this law that if everything is going right, begin suspecting something is wrong. This will, above everything else, put our policy framers under pressure always to perform at their optimum. While scepticism is a virtue and a necessary quality of perfecting the democratic system, there is also the common and grave danger of it slipping into abject cynicism, a condition in which the sceptic begins to believe there can be nothing good coming out of anything the government or anybody else does. The deeper trouble with this kind of cynicism is, while those in its grip have learnt to reject ideas and policies, often deservedly, they are woefully lacking in interest or capability of suggesting credible alternatives. In many ways they become the `dog in the manger` of the nursery school book parables. Our die hard sceptics, which would happily include many of us in the media, must guard against the danger of this delusion.

But it is sad to say that this vigil against cynicism has not been always successful in the Manipur society of today. Hence the numerous cases of irreconcilable dichotomies in the manner issues are faced or challenges met. Take the case of the slipping law and order problem. Practically everybody would have grumbled and complained in private about it, predicting even an ultimate collapse of the state because of the near total failure on this front. Yet, this same society would object to any tough law to control the situation, invoking amongst others, human rights. Take again the abysmal power shortage. There possibly cannot be anyone who has not at some point or the other been blinded by fury and dark thoughts of personally causing mayhem to electricity department properties, including local transformers, when routinely condemned to a fate of unscheduled blackouts. Yet there are still amongst us who would say an unconditional `no` to any power projects, citing our love for the environment. Fine, but if this must be the way, can we be still justified in cribbing about power shortages. Or in the earlier example, is there any case for complaining that the law is in the hands of anybody with some degree of nuisance value. And these are just two examples. Our society is confronted with the same mindless dilemma on so many other matters, including the most trivial `“ say traffic regulation or public hygiene. From the government`™s side, you have a flyover coming up to ease traffic, but you think nothing of bus depots in the heart of the city that causes frustrating regular traffic jams. You don`™t want private vehicles parked along busy streets but you also do nothing to provide any official parking areas in the city. From the public side, you want a clean city, but you have no scruples about littering in public, you are vocally against corruption but would not hesitate bribing to get official favours etc.

This is no way to get out of the quagmire the Manipur society has been trapped in for all too many decades. There has to come about a time when we are clear about what we want definitely, and then single-mindedly pursue it. We cannot possibly hope for a positive outcome riding two boats at a time all the time. For instance, if we want quality education, teachers must teach and students must learn and not the other way around. More importantly, teachers must be capable of teaching and students of learning. Just as those in the government must govern and contractors must do contract works, not the other way around. Similarly, if we want electric power, it is not going to drop from Heaven no matter which God we pray to. We will have to either allow its generation at home or else buy it if we can afford the cost. If we are not willing to do either, for whatever the reason, let us not complain about power scarcity. True, we have to weigh our options, for sometimes the price we pay for something we get, can have so many hidden costs that ultimately we end up the losers, but at least let us make the effort to sincerely assess these options, rather than jump blindly into bandwagons of protest or support. Sounds like a conundrum, but the need often is also to sceptically examine the position of known sceptics. In many ways, scepticism is an unavoidable condition of the thought process, like reason. Even if you do not believe `reason` can explain everything in life, you still have to give `reason` for this non-belief to be able to convince anybody reasonably.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/sceptical-about-sceptics/

Daylight robbery at a Jewellery shop in Imphal

IMPHAL, October 18: A jewellery shop was robbed in broad daylight by a miscreant impersonating a cadre of proscribe RPF this morning at around 9 am. The jewellery shop `Opendra

IMPHAL, October 18: A jewellery shop was robbed in broad daylight by a miscreant impersonating a cadre of proscribe RPF this morning at around 9 am.

The jewellery shop `Opendra Jewellery works`™ located at RIMS road, just few shops away from Babina Diagnostic Centre was doing its routine business when the incident occurred said the shop owner Khumanthem Opendro S/o Kh Modhu of Noaremthong Khumanthem Leikai, Imphal West during a press meet held a Manipur Press Meet, Imphal.

Opendro said around 9:00 am a person came into his shop and asked for him and then for him to come out of his shop for a talk and told him to surrender the three arms (weapons) that RPF had hidden in his shop.

As the charge was baseless, he answered to the unknown person that the information is wrong and he does not have the weapons.

The RPF impersonating person then threatened to take him away for clarification with the party leaders. Upon Opendro`™s request that his wife was not well, the person further threatened to take his brother who is also an employee of the jewellery shop.

In the meantime Opendro gestured his younger brother to conceal the jewelleries in the scooter/moped `Honda Pleasure`™ utility box.

Further Opendro said that RPF impersonator took away Opendro`™s younger brother identified as Khumanthem Amarjeet along with the Honda Pleasure and drove toward RIMS mortuary.

Amarjeet was then pushed from the scooter, and the impersonator took scooter along with the gold/jewelleries worth Rs 4.5 lakhs, and drove away.

Khumanthem Upendro further appealed the state concern department to look into the matter to bring justice. He also appealed to the concerned underground organisation to look into the matter.

Further meira paibi group of Opendro`™s locality appealed to the concern authority to find out the fact to maintain peace and tranquillity in the area.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/daylight-robbery-at-a-jewellery-shop-in-imphal/

Manipur State Assembly Day observed – The Sangai Express

The Sangai Express

Manipur State Assembly Day observed
The Sangai Express
Imphal, Oct 18 : In commemoration of the first session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly held on October 18, 1949 after an election was held under the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947, the Coalition of Indigenes’ Rights Campaign (CIRCA) observed …
CIRCA observes Manipur State Assembly Day, urges govt to put celebration in …KanglaOnline

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The Sangai Express

Manipur State Assembly Day observed
The Sangai Express
Imphal, Oct 18 : In commemoration of the first session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly held on October 18, 1949 after an election was held under the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947, the Coalition of Indigenes' Rights Campaign (CIRCA) observed …
CIRCA observes Manipur State Assembly Day, urges govt to put celebration in …KanglaOnline

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Mini National volleyball Manipur win 3rd place – The Sangai Express

The Sangai ExpressMini National volleyball Manipur win 3rd placeThe Sangai ExpressIMPHAL, Oct 18: Manipur beat Tamil Nadu to clinch the 3rd place of the 24th Mini National Volleyball Championships at Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru today. At the same tim…

The Sangai Express

Mini National volleyball Manipur win 3rd place
The Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Oct 18: Manipur beat Tamil Nadu to clinch the 3rd place of the 24th Mini National Volleyball Championships at Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru today. At the same time, Uttar Pradesh beat Uttarakhand in the final match to clinch the title today.
Uttar Pradesh boys, West Bengal girls championsDeccan Herald

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India’s promise of shared sovereignty to Nagaland may herald an Indian perestroika for a good reason

Raj Singh Toronto, Canada The reformative vision and philosophy of Prime Minister Modi ushered a new era of change in India which has been welcomed as “Modi-fication”. His fresh

Raj Singh

Toronto, Canada

The reformative vision and philosophy of Prime Minister Modi ushered a new era of change in India which has been welcomed as “Modi-fication”. His fresh attempt to understand India’s north-east and his actions to solve its chronic socio-political and economic problems have a whiff of sincerity. The shared sovereignty he reportedly promised to Nagaland in the “framework agreement” signed on August 03, 2015 may be a new modality to replace the repressive measures India has so long been deploying in the region to subdue nationalistic ambitions.

It is true that the British left an unfinished job of deciding the fate of many weak nations/principalities in the north-east India under their suzerainty when they left India in 1947. The tribal territories of the Nagas, Mizos, Kukis and Khasi etc. they won during various expeditions during the nineteenth century were left as autonomous districts of the province of Assam. The Kingdoms of Assam, Tripura and Manipur were merged with the new India while kingdom of Sikkim was allowed to opt out to remain independent. Many cases of the merger especially that of Manipur allegedly were expedited against the will of the people.

Around the same time in 1944, the small Baltic states of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia were forcibly put under the Soviet Union led by the big and powerful Russia. With these, seven other smaller states in Central Asia and East European region of Soviet Union remained unhappy in the union for four decades as they were subjugated by the powerful Russia. These states became free in 1991 when Gorbachev experimented a large scale socio-political reformation called, “Perestroika”.

When the small states asked for restoration of their pre-merger nationhood as a rightful demand, Russia, instead of repressive measures proposed an instrument of regional organization called, “Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)” to benefit the dissociated states and an agreement, “Alma-Ata Protocol” was signed. The results in the after years were – diffusion of ethnic tensions, collective economic progress in the segregated states and the ending of the dangerous cold war between the Soviet bloc and the Western Nations.

In the game of geo-politics, powerful nations always remain watchful of socio-political weak points in others’ territories for a chance to covertly intervene and destabilize the adversary. The insurgency infested north-east may be India’s Achilles’ heel in the eyes of other countries. What entails therefore is that the insurgency in India’s north-east needs to be ended to protect India from the evil eyes of geopolitical players.

India will gain a lot from peaceful solutions of the insurgency in the north-east by fulfilling their political aspirations. It can stop the huge resource and reputation drain in excessively militarizing the north-east to fight insurgents in the difficult hill terrains. It can save its international image by repealing the notorious Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) and avoiding the numerous charges of human rights violations and extra-judicial killings in army action. It can establish its image as a world leader in the advocacy of special provisions for weaker ethnic groups and indigenous populations that are suffering in the hands of stronger groups in many parts of the world.

The newly segregated small nations with shared sovereignty in India’s north-east will also get a new leash of life with progress in all fronts concomitant with identity-associated dignity, increased sense of responsibility, self-reliance, peace and unity. Six decades of India’s rule with negligence, indifference, marginalization and repression has been blamed for various social malaise like serious loss of work culture, rampant corruption, parochialism and ethnic disharmony, economic backwardness and ecological degradation in the region. They need to be freed from these malaise. As free nations with shared sovereignty with India, these nations will provide an excellent buffer zone of protection to India’s frontier.

Granting “shared sovereignty” to Nagaland by acknowledging the “Uniqueness” of the Naga ethnicity makes a lot of sense to all the people of oriental stock inhabiting the north-east. This uniqueness goes primarily along the anthropologic distinction of the north-east as the starting point of oriental habitat that has contiguity with the far-east. It is for the same reason that India respected Bhutan, Nepal and Sikkim (in the beginning) as sovereign countries with special arrangements of sharing responsibilities similar to CIS of Russia and its breakaway small nations.

Granting sovereignty to Nagaland in isolation without a holistic consideration of the insurgency in the north-east will be India’s folly. This will be a stark evidence of India’s myopic vision of dealing with the north-east problems through appeasing the more violent groups. History has recorded how India traded statehood with violent Nagas and Mizos in 1962 and 1986 respectively to buy peace. For consideration of sovereignty as a matter of right, former kingdoms like Sikkim, Tripura, Assam and Manipur logically appear above Nagaland in the priority list. Alfred Lyall (1908), a British civil servant described Manipur as “an oasis of comparative civilization amidst the barbarians”. This was how Manipur stood out historically as a nation in the region with all paraphernalia like – its two millennia old chronicled history, its classical culture, its language with script, its elaborate governments etc.

Perestroika was a vigorous process which needed a visionary leader like Gorbachev and a horde of thinkers to agree with him. Mr. Modi has all the promises of a different genre in Indian politics. He exudes integrity and pragmatism. He will still need an enormous political will to overcome glitches to bring this overhaul. This hope is built on a ‘historic accord” which later on was reduced to a “framework agreement” the contents of which still remain a secret. Nevertheless, we see boldness and spirit in its face value.

The north-east people – the separatist demand groups, the civil society organizations, the think tanks, the social engineers, the political scientists and the politicians, regardless of their creeds will need to prepare a common ground for them to stand together and voice the same demand. This looks a big challenge when we look at the countless competing and conflicting organizations operating in the region. There is also a serious lack of political will and discipline in the region. To cause a Perestroika, the separatist demand if rightful should be voiced also by the regional politicians. There is nothing unconstitutional in a political demand. If they ask for the right thing they will get the thing right for them. The same applies when they ask for the wrong thing. Let prudence guide India and the north-east.

The Hindu featured interview with Manipur footballer Moirangthem Gouramangi – KanglaOnline

KanglaOnlineThe Hindu featured interview with Manipur footballer Moirangthem GouramangiKanglaOnlineIn an interview featured in The Hindu, Moirangthem Goiuramangi, a native of Sekmai Manipur, expressed the need of grass root level training to improve th…

KanglaOnline

The Hindu featured interview with Manipur footballer Moirangthem Gouramangi
KanglaOnline
In an interview featured in The Hindu, Moirangthem Goiuramangi, a native of Sekmai Manipur, expressed the need of grass root level training to improve the quality of Indian Football. The Manipur native who currently played for Pune City FC opined that …

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The Hindu featured interview with Manipur footballer Moirangthem Gouramangi

In an interview featured in The Hindu, Moirangthem Goiuramangi, a native of Sekmai Manipur, expressed the need of grass root level training to improve the quality of Indian Football. The Manipur

Manipur player Moirangthem Gouramangi featured in The Hindu. Photo: K.V. Srinivasan (Hindu)

In an interview featured in The Hindu, Moirangthem Goiuramangi, a native of Sekmai Manipur, expressed the need of grass root level training to improve the quality of Indian Football.

The Manipur native who currently played for Pune City FC opined that the atmosphere in ISL was completely different, as most of the players had played at the highest level and their match-awareness were more.

Moiranthem Gouramangi made his debut for India way back in 2006. Capped 71 times by the national team, the young Manipuri, a product of the Tata Football Academy, plied his trade in the National Football League, then in the re-branded I-League, and now plays in the Indian Super League (ISL) for Pune City FC. The 29-year-old spoke about this transition, and the role of ISL in shaping India’s football future.

Original excerpts of the interview featured in Hindu:

This is your second year in the ISL. How different have the experiences been as compared to your I-League days?

I don’t think we can compare the two. We can’t forget the contribution the I-League has made. I would say, without the I-League there wouldn’t be ISL. Indian football is in transition. One can’t completely depend on the ISL to turn things around overnight. There are lots of positives though. I-League has its limitations budget-wise. There are financial restrictions. It is not as big as what we are seeing today [ISL].

But the ISL has brought in foreign players, and coaches with different styles. In that sense, how has the on-field game evolved?

Technically better. In I-League too we had foreigners. But in ISL, the atmosphere is completely different. Most of them have played at the highest level and their match-awareness is more. So is the tempo of the game. This kind of exposure wasn’t there before. But we [Indians] are not very far behind. We can definitely do well. But we don’t have the necessary structures in place. We need more grassroots-level training.

For a young Indian player, how beneficial can the ISL be?

I’ll tell you from my own experience. I have been to countries like Australia, Denmark, Ukraine. There, I had to train like a foreigner. I mean, I had to adapt to their culture. Now, everything is coming to our country. Our players need not feel lonely here. It’s a good opportunity and the younger generation should take it seriously.

Can you give a realistic time-frame for things to improve?

At least another two years [for some signs to emerge].

What has been the biggest takeaway for you from the ISL?

I am from the Northeast. I never expected to go to Mumbai, Chennai and even Pune — not so popular for football — and see 30,000 people come and watch us play. We never experienced this before. Bringing the crowds back to the stadium has been the biggest thing and the attendance is increasing day by day. Nobody wants to play in empty stadiums. I feel this is only the beginning [of better things to come].

Source: The Hindu

Scholarly interests on my theatre work are more rewarding than any kind of award: Kanhailal

IMPHAL, October 18: Scholars from different institutes across the globe have been showing keen interest on my work. It`™s a profound feeling and any kind of award cannot replace it,

IMPHAL, October 18: Scholars from different institutes across the globe have been showing keen interest on my work. It`™s a profound feeling and any kind of award cannot replace it, said theatre doyen Heisnam Kanhailal.

Kanhailal was speaking at the website launch function of Kalakshetra Manipur, KKM theatre group here today at the JNMD Academy this evening. He said the website of KKM (www.kalakshetramanipur.org) has been long overdue. Our group has been trying to flaunt a website since 10 years back, but it did not materialised, he said.

`This was because I was laidback and did not pay much interest into it. But today we have been compelled to launch it. Friends and theatre lovers from different parts of the globe have demanded it. And we felt the need to move with the pace of time`, Kanhailal said.

He continued that today`™s artists more particularly of Manipur need to inculcate `artistic responsibility`™. It is beyond doubt that our artists have immense skills. But artists are inclined to be contented with the accolades they earned. They must move beyond that, he said.

Kanhailal emphasised that artists also need state patronage to reach certain height. He maintained that Kerala is a good example as far as artistic and cultural environment is concern. The growth and vibrancy of Kerala in any performing art is because the gurus and the scholars work together, he added.

He also noted that the state of Manipur can take the responsibility imparting theatre lessons to other south Asian countries with the coming of the Act East Policy. `Some of these countries have fertile ground for theatre. We at KKM are ready to take that responsibility`, said Kanhailal, while sharing the group`™s experience of touring Asian countries.

K Radhakumar, Secretary, Art & Culture, Govt of Manipur, who was the chief guest of the function in his speech, said that it is never too late to launch a website. He said the government is hopeful of going ahead with new ventures in the field of culture. A state Cultural Policy as well as a Film Policy is on the pipeline, he said.

On a critical note, Radhakumar highlighted that artistes are often carried away by egoism. `It seems that we have not learned to work jointly in a constructive way. Most of the discussions on important matters that we have had often got derailed inconclusively`, he pointed out.

The function was presided by L Upendra Sharma, Director, JNMDA. Many well-known theatre workers and scholars were also present in the gathering. The website was formally launched by the chief guest.

North East Festival 2015 kicks off with high level discussions

NEW DELHI, Oct 18: After two immensely successful years, the third edition of the North East Festival kicked off in a great style with main focus in Tourism, Look East

High level discussion on 'North East's strategic importance to India and Act East Policy' at North East Festival 2015 New Delhi, 17 October 2015: The second afternoon of the 3rd edition of the North East Festival, currently underway at IGNCA in the capital saw an engaging and lively discussion on the 'North East's strategic importance to India and Act East policy'. The session featured high level panelists such as Mr. Ram Madhav, National General Secretary, BJP; Mr. Ravi Capoor, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Government of India; Mr. AM Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of DoNER, Government of India, Dr. Nani Gopal Mahanta, Professor, University of Gauhati and Mr. Shyamkanu Mahanta, Organiser-in-chief, North East Festival. The session was moderated by well known journalist Kishalay Bhattacharjee. As a topic, North East's strategic importance is of paramount significance to the development of the North East region, and saw active and enthusiastic participation from representatives of all the states of the region. In his opening remarks, Mr. Shyamkanu Mahanta, Organiser-in-chief, North East Festival said, "There is a need to promote the North East and build bridges with the rest of the country. We also need to create a positive perception about the region, so that investors and businesses see the North East as a viable option." Speaking at the conference, Dr. Nani Gopal Mahanta, Professor, University of Gauhati said, "It is often said that since the North Eastern region is landlocked, development and commerce is a problem. I believe that North East can develop on its own. As a region, it historically had seamless connectivity with South East Asian and South Asian countries and that should be looked at once again. What is required is integration of road, rail and water transport and people to people connect. " In his address, Mr. Ram Madhav, National General Secretary, BJP said, "The emotional disconnect between the people of North East and the rest of t

North East Festival-Session on Look East Policy (Photo Courtesy: UB Photos)

NEW DELHI, Oct 18: After two immensely successful years, the third edition of the North East Festival kicked off in a great style with main focus in Tourism, Look East and Act East Policy with various discussion sessions with top policymakers, in the capital city of India from October 16 to October 18 at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Janpath, New Delhi, organised by the reputed socio-cultural trust, Trend MMS, in association with IGNCA and North East Today, said a press release.

It said, the festival is comprised with 25 food stalls, 60 artisans, 40 musical bands, 30 folk dances, various exhibitions of tribes, handloom, handicrafts and much more, and it was inaugurated by Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi, and the guests of honour were Manish Sisodia, Deputy CM of Delhi and Kapil Mishra, Tourism Minister of Delhi.

The press release stated that the Chief Minister of Delhi said northeast as the most beautiful destination in India with most beautiful and nice people.

The session featured high level panelists such as Ram Madhav, National General Secretary, BJP, Ravi Capoor, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, AM Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of DoNER, Government of India, Dr. Nani Gopal Mahanta, Professor, University of Gauhati and Shyamkanu Mahanta, Organiser-in-chief, North East Festival, and the session was moderated by well known journalist Kishalay Bhattacharjee, said the press release.

It said, Shyamkanu Mahanta stated about the need to promote north-east and build bridges with the rest of the country and also mentioned the need to create a positive perception about the region so as to make the investors see north-east as a viable option.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nani Gopal Mahanta said that northeastern region is landlocked, with less development and poor commerce. She further expressed that she believes in development of northeast on its own, as historically it had seamless connectivity with South East Asian and South Asian countries, and the only requirement is integration of road, rail and water transport and connection of people to people, said the press release.

It said, Ram Madhav expressed about the emotional disconnect between the people of northeast and the rest of the country, and stated that the government is committed to bridge the emotional disconnect. He said India’s development is not complete without the development of North East and Government of India is taking many steps for development of the region. Ram Madhav further said that he believes in clean and efficient governance for the development of the region, with priority on developing good relations with the neighbours to make northeast region as the biggest beneficiary.

The press release also stated that Ravi Capoor spoke about the pre-independence days, when northeast was one of the most prosperous regions with free flow of trade, commerce and people between the countries. He also said that NASSCOM figures tell about 20% of people working in the outsourcing industry from the northeastern states and improvement of internet and digital connectivity could make the region an IT hub of the country.

Moreover, AM Singh stated about believing in northeast and the opportunities by DoNER to facilitate investments in the region, and further stated about the requirement of coordinated effort from all the stakeholders to sort out all the issues related to trade and commerce in the region, said the press release.