Delhi School of economics to organise Jadonang memorial lecture

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Aug 27

The Delhi School of Economics (DSE), Delhi University is going to organise a memorial lecture on Haipou Jadonang on August 29, on the 86th anniversary of his martyrdom in association with Rongmei Phwam Delhi (RPD) at the DSE Vivekananda hall.

The Department of Sociology, DSE has instituted North East India Studies Program (NEISP) in 2015 with Dr. Kamei Aphun as the convener to address important issues and critical events of the Northeast region.

A statement issued by the organising committee said Dr. Aphun (who is also a recipient of many international awards) stated that this time, DSE will collaborate with Rongmei Phwam Delhi (RPD) to pay the most befitting tribute to Haipou Jadonang and to bring the martyr at the global academic platform which will be a historic one.

Machunlung Kamei, chairman of RPD who is also a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) presently holding additional commissioner of vigilance, customs and central GST, GOI, stated that such memorial lecture is crucial for the present generation to know the importance of culture and tradition which Haipou Jadonang had strongly defended from British colonialism and cultural erosion.

In the same light, Gaichanglungliu Kamei, advisor of RPD (an Alumni of London School of Economics, UK and who is now senior additional commissioner of Income Tax, have argued for not forgetting one’s roots and culture. She has earlier worked on the Zeliangrong movement during her days in JNU, it further said.

It further informed that Prof. Pami Dua (Director, DSE), Prof. Roma Chatterji (HOD, Sociology, DSE) and Prof. Hira Paul Gangnegi (Former HOD, Dept. of Buddhist Studies) will also be speaking on the historic occasion. The memorial lecture of the day will be delivered by Dr. Kamei Aphun who is also one of the advisors to RPD.

The participants will include eminent scholars and distinguished invitees from JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia, Ambedkar University, Amity University etc. besides many renowned Professors and academic deans from Delhi University.

It asserted that Jadonang or Haipou Jadonang (1905-1931) as his adoring people would like to address him with ‘honour’ and ‘reverence’, is one of the most enigmatic personalities in the culturally mosaic Northeast India. Due to undocumented and scanty literature, little has been known about him especially by the outside world which makes him a mysterious person. The mystic aspect of his personality has further added to the confusion.

Born in a humble peasant family in 1905 at Puiluan (or Puilon) village in the present day Nungba Sub-division in Tamenglong district of Manipur, Jadonang was a Rongmei Naga belonging to a Malangmei clan. Right from his early years he was a keen observer who grows up to understand social, cultural and political nuances of the society. This made him understand the spirit of nationalism and political movement. To the contemporary world, Jadonang was an unknown Naga rebel whose revolt was nipped in the bud, whereas his own follower and successor Gaidinliu (on the contrary) had received wide attention and recognised as one important freedom fighter of India today. Infact, it was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who had popularized Gaidinliu throughout his writings and gave her the title ‘Rani’.

Indeed Haipou Jadonang was a mystic rebel who galvanised a movement against British imperialism and cultural invasion of the west and started a ‘Heraka religion’ to fight against cultural and religious encroachment.

Today, Haipou Jadonang is best remembered for his courage and vigour who fought against the British colonial forces, cultural imperialism, and for his campaign to protect and preserve traditional or indigenous culture of his people. The present generation identify him as a true patriot and a great social reformer who withstood against all odds, the press release stated.