Yambem family pays tribute to Jupiter
Manipur joins comity of Nations to mark 9/11
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 11, 2010: Manipur joined the comity of Nations in joining hands together and praying for the souls, whose lives were cruelly snuffed out in the mother of all terror attacks, at the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001. It is nearly a decade since the terror attack, but it continues to be the defining moment not only in terms of policies pursued by different Nations, but the scars inflicted on the kins of the dead are yet to be fully healed.

Jupiter Yambem , a Manipuri native was among the nearly 3000 people killed in the suicide attacks by Al-Quaeda on the World Trade Centre (WTC) in New York on this day in September 2001. Jupiter was on the 107th floor of the north WTC tower where he worked as banquet manager in the worlds tallest restaurant � "Windows on the World" when the coordinated attacks were launched on the United States.

Far across the seven seas from Ground Zero, the Yambem families observed a simple but a resolute ceremony to honor Jupiter at their Uripok Yambem Leikai residential complex at Imphal today.

Y Laba, elder brother of Jupiter salutes the departed soul

Amid a sombre scene the bereaved family members, one after another, offered flowers to a portrait of Jupiter and prayed for the departed soul.

Jupiter (then 42) was reported to be the first Indian identified in the attack in the New York terror attack.

He is survived by his American wife Nancy McCardle Yambem and 14- year-old son Santi Mc Cardle alias Chinglailakpa meaning 'dragon-tamer and the small family is living in New York.

The family comes down to Manipur every after two years to strengthen the link between the Manipuris and the American families, Yambem Laba, elder brother of late Jupiter said tpday afternoon.

"According to our Meitei calendar, we will hold an Utsav (a grand religious feasting) for him (Jupiter) on September 30 at Imphal ," Laba added.

Laba, a prominent journalist and former member of Manipur Human Rights Commission and Director of Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, said he along with his late father Yambem Tombi went to New York and joined the memorial service for Jupiter at Ground Zero in 2002. "Jupiter was in fact the first Manipuri who moved to the US as an entrepreneur and today hundreds of Manipuris like him are working in various reputed multi-national corporation there," Laba said adding "in his fond memory we had set up a centre after his name at Imphal on his first death anniversary in 2002". Located at Paona Bazar in the heart of Imphal, the 'Jupiter Yambem Centre was opened with the primary objective of linking Manipuri culture and society with that of the US and other Nations, Laba said adding that Nancy opened the centre.