Conference on 'Irabot and Manipuri Diaspora' organised
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 02 2021: An international online conference on 'Jananeta Hijam Irabot and Manipuri Diaspora' was jointly organised by All-Manipur Columnists' Union (AMCU), Pole Star College, Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Samiti Manipur Prant and Intellectual Forum of North East in commemoration of the 125th Birth Anniversary of Lamyanba Hijam Irabot on Thursday.

In a release, Organising Committee's Dr Ng Jasantakumar informed that the conference was attended by Manipur University vice chancellor Prof Naorem Lokendra Singh as chief guest, retired IAS and NE-Scholar magazine editor-in-chief Dr RK Nimai as president and Sahitya Academy awardee and Manipur University of Culture Department of Manipuri associate professor and Dr Makhonmani Mongsaba as guest of honour.

In the technical session of the conference co-chaired by Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Department of Social Works Dr H Shukhdeba Sharma and co-chaired by Pole Star College Department of Political Science head Dr Ng Jasantakumar, many speakers including Bangladesh Manipuri Sahitya Sangsad president AK Seram; Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Tripura general secretary L Biramangol Singha; PIB, Guwahati former joint director Laishram Tarani Kanta Singha and MU Department of Economics Dr Chinglen Maisnam spoke on topics related to the theme of the conference.

The release mentioned that All Manipur Columnists' Union secretary S Bhubol highlighted the roles played by Jananeta Irabot in the uplift of diaspora status and socio-economic and cultural relations among Manipuris settling inside and outside the state of Manipur.

AK Seram stated that records provided by the Pogoi School, Dacca indicate Irabot left Johnstone School, Imphal on June 17,1913 and was admitted to Pogos School, Dacca on June 27, 1913 in class VI.

He added that Irabot was well versed in Bengali language and ,he even wrote and acted in dramas in Dacca (present day Dhaka) and he also mobilised the Manipuris living there to unite and work for development of Manipuri culture, religion and language.

L Biramangol Singha said that Jananeta Irabot visited all the" villages in Tripura where Manipuris were settled and worked for uplift of their socio-economic conditions.

Laishram Tarani Kanta Singha referred to many documents that supported Lamyanba Irabot working for development of the Manipuris living outside Manipur.

Dr Chinglen Maisnam observed that the data on the population of present Manipuri diaspora pointed out that the social and economic conditions of the Manipuris living outside have not much improved and Irabot's vibrant vision for the welfare of Manipuri diaspora is yet to be fully implemented.

Thus, the present generation needs to work on it seriously, the release stated.

The release further mentioned that MU VC Prof N Lokendra appreciated the speakers for relating the facts about Lamyanba Hijam Irabot that are not found in available books and magazines and agreed that Irabot did a lot for safeguarding the identity of Manipuri diaspora and the same needs to be brought in frontstage for ensuring protection and development of Manipuri diaspora to promote Manipuri identity.

Dr Makhonmani Mongsaba lauded Irabot as a great leader and icon for Manipuris but regretted that these days there seem to be no one following his principle.

Only when the Manipuris of present era, particularly the political class do strictly follow the footsteps of Lanyanba Irabot, then Manipuris living inside and outside Manipur can have true developments and fulfil Irabot's far sighted Vision.

Dr RK Nimai appreciated the organising bodies and the speakers for having picked and propounded the issues of Manipuri diaspora in connection with the roles played by Jannaneta Hijam Irabot, while adding that the issue is not significantly staged in the public domain.

But scholarly revisiting the life and wbrk of Irabot is needed as to resolve the existing suspicious and various opinionated areas about Irabot.

One time observance and yearly discussion cannot popularise the issue but movement in continuity can win the benign objective.

The time is now to thoroughly understand the precious works done by Jananeta Irabot for the Manipuri diaspora, he stressed.

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