Adieu Ava Rishang Keishing

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Aug 22

Hymns echoed mellow at Mantripukhri as family members and well-wishers mourned the passing of Rishang Keishing, one of the oldest and most reputed politicians in the Northeast and a leading figure of Manipur politics. He was 98.

Medical report said Keishing died of multiple organ failure and sepsis. He was treated at RIMS intensive care unit since a month back. He passed away at 8.15 pm today.

Bereaved family members and relatives were condoled at RIMS, intensive care unit by MLAs and politicians including Gaikhangam, TN Haokip, DD Thaisii, Thangso Baite. BJP MLA of Konthoujam constituency Sapam Ranjan also came to pay his respects. “We have lost a great leader today,” Ranjan told Imphal Free Press.

Rishang belongs to Bungpa Khunou village of the newly created Kamjong district and was born to late Lungdi Keishing and late Mungshingla Keishing on 25 October, 1919. He is survived by his wife Khatingla Keishing and four sons and two daughters.

His condolence ceremony will be held at his residence at Mantripukhri on Wednesday morning. Later, floral tribute will be paid at MPCC complex at BT road. His mortal remains will be laid to rest at his native village of Bungpa Khullen on August 24.

He began his career as a teacher in Bungpa lower primary school when he was just 16 after finishing his sixth grade from Kangpokpi Mission Middle Elementary school in 1936. After a short stint of teaching he resumed his education at Churachand High school in 1937-38.

He continued his studies at Kohima government high school and passed matriculation examination from Jorhat Christian High school at Assam (1944-45). He studied his higher secondary education at St Paul Cathedral College at Calcutta and graduated from Calcutta University in 1949.

He later joined the Ukhrul Christian Junior High school as headmaster in September 1949.

He later resigned from his teaching career in 1952 and entered the political arena.He was elected as member of parliament to the first Lok Sabha from outer parliamentary constituency under the ticket of the Indian Socialist Party in April 1952 and continued till April 1957.

In 1962, he was again elected member of the third Lok Sabha under the same ticket till 1967. He had joined the Indian National Congress during that tenure in 1964 under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru. He got elected in 1972 and continued successfully for seven consecutive terms till 2002.

He was sworn in as a cabinet minister in 1975 and became the deputy chief minister in 1977 became the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president in 1978. He was sworn in as the 11th Chief Minister on November 27,1980. He continued his chief minister-ship though not full five years tenure for another five terms.

He became a member of Rajya Sabha in 2002 and again got elected in 2008 which ended in 2014.

(*Ava means father in Tangkhul dialect)