Thoukachanba remembered on birth anniversary
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 20 2010: Pioneer of Kanglei script, Thokchom Thoukachanba had took pain in reviving the indigenous script of Manipur at a time when the intellectuals of the state tried to ignore it, said Prof Kangjia Mangang while speaking at the 86th birth anniversary of Thoukachanba today.

The birth anniversary observance of Thoukachanba was organised jointly by Thoukachanba anniversary organising committee, Kangleipak Apunba Loinasillon Marup (KALM), and National Highway 53 Kanglei Ching-tam Leima Lup (NHKAL) at the Usha Bhawan Club, Sayang Pukhri Mapal here.

Prof Kangjia Mangang speaking at the Usha Bhavan Club

Prof Kangjia said, the people of the state were taken aback when Thoukachanba first launched the movement of reviving the Meetei Mayek (script).

But now, the movement pays dividend and the Bengali script has been replaced in school syllabus till class V .

Given the trend, Meetei Mayek would replace Bengali script in its entirety within few years.

This being his vision, Thoukachandba had initiated the movement for the revival of the script, Prof Kangjia asserted.

He recalled that the first conference on the usage of the Meetei Mayek was convened at Aryan Theatre in 1958.Numerous suggestions were received on the phonetics of the Meetei Mayek.

But none of them were found to be satisfactory.

Later, it was learnt that Thoukachanba had the original phonetics of Meetei Mayek.

State level conference on usage of Meetei Mayek was held consecutively in 1969, 1972, and 1976.No leader of the state had opposed the use and promotion of the script.

In 1978, during the Chief Minister-ship of Yangmasho Shaiza, an expert committee of Meetei Mayek was constituted.

Prof Kanjiya said, there are only 25 communities in the world to have their own religion, culture and script among 6000 communities.

Manipuri script and religion is one among them.

Realising the prestige of having own script, various intellectuals have worked wholeheartedly for the promotion of the script.

Giving the key-note address, general secretary of KALM, Jamuna Leima said, the credit for the development of the Kanglei script should rightly goes to Thoukachanba, who had preserved the relics.

She said, the pioneer of Kanglei script, Thoukachanba was honoured by titular King Leishemba Sanajaoba in 2007 at Kangla.

The birth anniversary observance was also attended by president of MEELAL, Moirangthem Naodalenkhomba, retired principal of PGT College, Akoijam Ibohal, KALM president, Sanahongba Mangang, retired principal of Presidency College, Prof Ng Kangjiya Mangang and Borsana Leima, the wife of late Thoukachanba.

The gatherings paid fitting floral tributes to the departed pioneer of Meetei script, Thoukachanba.