Imphal, September 26 2010: The philosophy of Geet chandra Tongbra, of whose popular name was GC Tongbra, was consistantly justice for all, Prof N Tombi, president of Manipuri Sahitya Parishad opined.

Prof Tombi was speaking at a solemn function held at MDU hall, Yaiskul to release a book titled "Ngallingeigee Manipuri Journalism Amasung GC Tongbra" written by veteran journalist Kangujam Madhumangol today.

Prof N Tombi, who was chief guest of the function, formally released the book in front of a large audience comprising retired and presently working senior journalists including editors, columnists, writers, singers, lyricists, scholars, educationists, teachers, officials, youths, etc.

President of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU), Khogendra Khomdram, Editor of Sangai Express (Manipuri) presided over the function while Dr Sapam Tomba and Dr Nahakpam Aruna of Manipur University were the guests of honour.

Lecturer of DM College, Dr Thokchom delivered a lecture about book.

Expressing his heartfelt happiness over the book in which the writer and journalist Madhumangol has taken pains in research and dug out some of the rarest writings of GC Tongbra and other documents that had been vividly produced, Prof N Tombi remarked that the scholars,researchers and professors of Manipur University should learn about how to do research from Madhumangol.

Because he has done some of the most amazing research works that the scholars, researchers and professors of the university ought to do.

He said, even he himself had tried hard to find the materials published in "Ngashi" and "Prajatantra" dailies in the 50s in which Late GC Tongbra and Late Elangbam Nilakanta had indulged in intellectual criticisms against each other, but he could not get the materials.

Writer Madhumangol has produced all those materials in his book.

For that, Prof Tombi profusely thanked the author of the book.

Prof Tombi further said that GC Tongbra, who was an iconoclast, was the Samrat of Manipuri drama after the World War II.

Till today there is hardly any dramatist who can match GC Tongbra's standard.

Tongbra's only consistant search/mission was justice, Prof Tombi said pointing out that the philosophy and political ideas in all his dramas were against injustice.

The president of MSA also exhorted writers, researchers and students to do deep research on the life of GC Tongbra.

There are plenty of materials for study that could be fathomed from his life, Prof Tombi opined.

Dr Thokchom Ibohanbi, lecturer of DM College delivered a detailed review of the book on the occasion.

The book would give plenty of insights into the early period of Manipuri journalism and the philosophy of GC Tongbra, he said.

Dr Nahakpam Aruna, who also spoke at the function said that the respected veteran journalist K Madhumangol has got creativity.

She thanked him for bring out such a well-researched book on the other side of GC Tongbra which hitherto has remained unknown to most of the academics.

She said, what they knew about GC Tongbra all along was just that he was a dramatist and satirist.

They never knew that GC Tongbra was a journalist and that he wrote articles and comments in newspapers.

Khogendra Khomdram, president of AMWJU said that today was an important day for the journalist fraternity in Manipur because the veteran journalist, K Madhumangol has brought out a valuable book on journalism which the journalist of present day would find enormously useful.

However, he expressed somewhat unhappiness that on such an occasion where a book on journalism written by a senior, respected and retired journalist is released, only a few journalists were present, whereas every journalist should have attended.

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