Peacemaker and former Kumpipa no more
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, March 10 2022: One of the most popular Kuki leaders, a trend setter and a peacemaker, Haojakam Chongloi, a retired District Education Officer in 1993, who was also the only living signatory in the memorandum of Kuki State demand which was submitted to the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru on March 24, 1960, passed away yesterday evening at his Kangpokpi residence Gopikot at Vengthah.

He was 92 and survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Born in March 1931 at Gopikot in NC Hills, Assam, Chongloi is a diploma holder in Educational Planning and Administration, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), Delhi.

He retired as District Education Officer (DEO) at Kangpokpi after serving as Headmaster in Kangpokpi Government aided High School, Principal in Government Higher Secondary School, Churachandpur, District Education Officer in Tamenglong, and Deputy Director of Education (Tribal Dialect), Directorate of Education, Manipur.

Peacemaker and former Kumpipa no more

He was also the first president of the Kuki Students' Association, NC Hills, Assam in 1950.He also served as secretary, Kuki Students' Union, Shillong from 1957-1959, and organizer of Kuki Students' Meet 1958 at Tamphasana Girls High School in Imphal.

He then became the general secretary of the Kuki National Assembly.

Haojakam Chongloi is also a member of the Manipur Government Peace Mission on the Kuki-Hmar feud during 1960 .

He became the vice-president of Kuki Inpi Manipur from 1995-1998 and served as its president from 1998 till 2001 during which he led the historic rally of the Kukis in New Delhi.

Before he became the president of Kuki Inpi India in 1998, he had also initiated a peace accord to end ethnic violence in Churachandpur while he had also submitted a memorandum to UNPO during his tenure as Kumpipa from 1998-2001 .

He was also the secretary and chairman of Kuki Literature Society from 1971-2014, a managing trustee of Anglo Kuki War Patriots Memorial Foundation apart from many other posts and designation in various organizations.

A man of limited means, who did not let scarcity define his life but instead scaled the heights of success through grit and hard work, Haujakam Chongloi had recently released his autobiograph christened Against All Odds at Kangpokpi.

The burial ceremony was held today at Kangpokpi according to Christian ethics and tradition.

Many civil society organizations including Kuki Inpi Manipur and Kuki Students' Organization also participated in his burial ceremony and expressed condolence over his demise.