Kajol Sinha, new NBMM president of Delhi Regional Committee

Giving a succinct message to the whole Bishnupriya Manipuri community that in the struggle to materialize the longstanding demands of the community, the Bishnupriya Manipuri people living in the capital can’t be sidelined, the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha (NBMM) in its central committee meeting, declared names of the persons for its student wing, Sanskriti Parishad, Sahitya Parishad, and for its Delhi division, here in Delhi on 11 May 2008.

The committee appointed Kajol Sinha as President, Dr Nirmalya Sinha, Shashi Kanta Sinha and Lakshi Kanta Sinha as Vice President, Chandra Mohan Sinha at the post of General Secretary, Paritosh Sinha and Brahmananda Sinha as Joint Secretary, in the newly reshuffled NBMM, Delhi Regional Committee. Henry Sinha and Manashi Sinha have been given the post of Assistant General Secretary, followed by Krishna Kanta Debabarma, Mohan Singh Chaudhury, Gautam Sinha, Rajkumar Rishikesh Sinha and Jhunu Sinha as members.

Further more Haridas Sinha, Kajol Sinha, Nirmalya Sinha and Biswajit Sinha are in the core committee. In NBMM’s Student Union, Nirmalendu Mukherjee is appointed as the President, Joy Sinha and Anupam Sinha, the Vice President, and Biswajit Sinha as General Secretary. Rajkumar Rishikesh Sinha and Rajib Sinha as Joint Secretary would assist him. Ashok Sinha and Biprojit Sinha bagged the post of Assistant General Secretary. The Central Committee has also decided that five more members would be included after the executive meeting.

In the newly formed NBMM’s Sanskriti Parishad, Dr. Nirmalya Sinha has been given the post of President and Rajkumar Harilal Sinha, Bimsena Sinha and Janmajay Sinha are appointed as Vice Presidents of the Parishad. Jishnu Sinha, Ranu Sinha, Amit Sinha and Henry Sinha are in the post of Joint Secretary. However, Nirmal Sinha, Arati Sinha, Binaya Sinha, Munmun Sinha, Sonica Rajkumari, Mrs. Nandita Mukherjee and Sravan Kumar Sinha have been included as members. The President and the General Secretary of the NBMM, Delhi Regional Committee would work as ex-officio members.

Language plays a pivotal role in the advancement of any community. Now, this responsibility has been enshrined in the capital to the newly erected NBMM’s Sahitya Parishad, Delhi. Shashi Kanta Sinha has been nominated as President, Jonmajay Sinha and Manshi Sinha as Vice President. Ashok Sinha would be holding the post of General Secretary, Henry Sinha, Nandita Mukherjee and Munmun Sinha would be working as Assistant General Secretary. Moreover, the Parishad would be having Bimal Sinha and Bimala Sinha as working members. Besides, the President and the General Secretary of the NBMM, Delhi Regional Committee will be working as official members of the Sahitya.

By Rishikesh Sinha

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Delhi BM must be strong, says NBMM

“Bishnupriya Manipuri Delhiites must be strong, the Bishnupriya Manipuri living in Delhi are the cream of the respective fields and they must guide the whole society” said Shri Jogendra Sinha, President, Sanskriti Parishad, in the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha meeting held at Bipin Chandra Pal Memorial hall, New Delhi on 11 May, 2008.

He further added, for the accomplishment of all the efforts undertaken so far for the development of the community, people living in Delhi or in other places must be able to gain love and respect of the host culture and language; but at the same time should pay attention to the preservation of our mother tongue. Owing to his eloquent, flawless speech, audience had a very enthusiastic time and they all enjoyed.

Shri Biswajeet Sinha in his extempore speech called for the upliftment of the status of education in the villages and also pressed on the formation of an economic wing under the umbrella of Mahasabha. He cited that the ‘Emar Thar’ is enriched and is the reservoir of knowledge. Supporting his view he mentioned that the language proficiency we had for the other language is remarkable. “Our people are fluent in Bengali, Assamese, Hindi and English and in many other languages, that can’t be said about persons of the other community. It is magnificent and amazing” said Biswajeet Sinha. This fact mesmerized all the people sitting in the hall and they all cheered him.

The Working President of the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha, Shri Rebati Mohan Sinha called for unity and sense of belongingness amongst us. He said, “Bishnupriya Manipuri people residing in Delhi should not only come together while at the Shri Bhubaneshwar Sadhu Thakur’s birth centenary; but create an opportunity to build up comity amongst ourselves.” However, he was displeased with the lesser participation of the people compared to the last meeting held in Delhi, in 2005.

Shri Kajal Sinha proposed a ‘scholarship’ scheme for the betterment of the Bishnupriya Manipuri students who come for the education purpose in Delhi. He pressed that the proposed scheme would assuage many difficulties presently being faced by the students. He added, the unavailability of a launching pad has become a deterrent force for which students are discouraged to pursue higher studies in Delhi.

Shri Uday Sinha, Secretary General, Mahasabha, Central Committee, Silchar recalled the history of Mahasabha and its development taking place with the passage of time. The resurrection of the history of the Mahasabha came as an eye-opener to youngsters and those who are ignorant of the Bishnupriya Manipuri community’s highest body. People assembled in the hall appreciated his effort.

Shri Ashutosh (Ravi) Sinha, Secy. Sanskriti Parishad, Assam State Committee, caught the attention of the present audience and of the dignitaries singing an inspiring song of the Gokulananda Gitiswami. Paying high regards to him, he was awarded bakshis.

Shri Haridas Sinha and Shri Nilkanta Sinha, President, Mahasabha Tripura State Committee, graced the meeting with their speech. The assembled people got first hand information of the Bishnupriya Manipuri language status in the state of Tripura, and the problem they are facing.

Shri Ranjit Sinha, Advisor, Bodoland Territorial Council, Government of India, presided the whole meeting as a Chief Guest.

Proper refreshments for the audience was taken care of in the meeting. The meeting ended in a cordial and jovial note.

Note: Few names of the persons were not added. And those mentioned, their designation were not added. Lack of information cites the reason. Deeply regretted.

By Rishikesh Sinha

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Resolutions to stop misuse of the title "Manipuri"

The 73rd annual session of Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Imphal held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy hall, took some resolutions including the disallowing of the use of the title Manipuri to Manipuri Bishnupriya or Bishnupriya Manipuri. Continue…

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Heat fails to stop them!

It is a fact Delhites hate to step out on Sundays. However, Bishnupriya Manipuri living in Delhi and its adjoining areas stepped out on Sunday, at the time when the intensity of the scorching heat could roast anybody from inside. They showed their sizable presence in the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha meeting held at Bipin Chandra Pal Memorial Bhawan, CR Park, New Delhi.

Audience comprises families residing in far away places like Shyam Vihar (Najafgarh), DLF City, Gurgaon, Sagar Pur, Pantpar Ganj, Dwarka, Mangla Puri, and of course from the nearby places to the venue: SJ Enclave, CR Park and Kalkaji, all were present in the meeting also.

Here are the names of the people (dignitaries and Delhi Bishnupriya Manipuri residents) who attended the meeting at CR Park:

1. Haridas Sinha
2. Ranjit Sinha
3. Kajal Sinha
4. Nirmalya Sinha
5. Mohan Singh Choudhury
6. Rajkumar Harilal Sinha
7. Bipin Sena Singh
8. Lakhi Kanta Sinha
9. Prabin Sinha
10. Chandra Mohan Sinha
11. Janmojoy Sinha
12. Manilal Sinha
13. Bishwajeet Sinha
14. Bimal Sinha
15. Shashi Kant
16. Rajkumar
17. Gautam Sinha
18. Nirmalendu Sinha
19. Pritam Sinha
20. Promod Sinha
21. Rahul Sinha
22. Debashish Sinha
23. Amit Sinha
24. Pranab Sinha
25. Ashok Sinha
26. Jishnu Singh
27. BN Sinha
28. Rajkumar Rishikesh Sinha
29. Rabindra Sinha
30. Sarajit Sinha
31. Shankar Sinha
32. Ravi Kant Singha
33. Mrs. Gunabati Sinha
34. Mrs. Gayatri Sinha
35. Paritosh Sinha
36. Debdas Singha
37. Rajib Singha
38. Amit Kumar Singha
39. Raju Sinha
40. Kajal Sinha
41. Nil Kanta Sinha
42. Krishna Kanta Sinha
43. Uday Sinha
44. Jogendra Sinha
45. RM Sinha
46. Jayanti Sinha
47. Rajabala Sinha
48. Ranjit Sinha
49. Sunil Sinha
50. Paritosh Kumar Sinha
51. Biswajeet Sinha
52. Sumati Sinha
53. Vijaya Sinha
54. Dolly Sinha
55. Rina Sinha
56. Nandita Mukherjee
57. Arati Sinha
58. Ranju Sinha
59. Phul Kumari Sinha
60. Anjali Sinha
61. Rajashree Sinha
62. Bilasini Sinha (mother of Chandra Mohan Sinha)
63. Sonika Rajkumari
64. Kavita Sinha
65. Joy Kumar Sinha
66. Henry Sinha

Note: The list is NOT conclusive and explicit. Their were many people whose names were NOT jotted down. Errors may remain crept in with the spellings of the names.

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Mahasabha holds talk with Bishnupriya Manipuri residents in Delhi

A 13-member delegation of the Mahasabha held a meeting with Bishnupriya Manipuri residents in Delhi at Manglapuri on 10 May 2008. In the meeting many important issues related with the community were discussed. The issue of unavailability of Brishnupriya Manipuri language books in Assam was broadly discussed and the various steps being taken for the introduction of the language in the radio and television programmes were also highlighted. The discussion also includes issues related to Other Backward Class (OBC) in Assam.

The agenda for the grand meeting, which is going to take place on 11 May 2008, at Bipin Pal Memorial Trust Auditorium at Chittaranjan Park (CR Park), New Delhi was also discussed. The representatives present in the meeting requested all Bishnupriya Manipuri people living in Delhi and NCR to participate in the today’s grand meeting to make it successful. The programs will start from 4 p.m.

High on Agenda

The decisions being taken by the delegation after the discussion regarding today’s General Meeting of the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha, Delhi Regional Committee, are as follows:

The grand meeting would take place under the chairmanship of Mr Haridas Sinha. Working President and Secretary General of the Mahasabha, President and General Secretary of the Sanskriti Parishad, General Secretary of the Sahitya Parishad, and Tripura State President will be present in the meeting. Other guests will include Secretary of the NBM Students Union Greater Guwahati Branch and the Secretary of the Andolon Parishad, Greater Guwahati Branch.

Matters high on the agenda for today’s meeting are:

• Secretary’s Report of Delhi Regional Committee
• Charter of Demands
• Organisation
• Fund
• Acquirement of a plot of land for the construction of Bishnu Mandir.
• Reconstruction of Delhi Regional Committee (Mahasabha, Sahitya Parishad and Sanskriti Parishad).
• Formation of Student’s Union, Delhi Regional Committee.

Delegates

Here are the names of the visiting delegates:

Shri Rebati Mohan Sinha
Working President, Mahasabha
Maharashtra

Mrs. Ranju Sinha
Mahasabha, Maharashtra

Shri Uday Sinha
Secretary General
Mahasabha, Central Committee, Silchar

Shri Jogendra Kumar Sinha
President,
Sanskriti Parishad, Central Committee, (Silchar, Machughat)

Shri Nilkanta Sinha
President,
Mahasabha, Tripura State Committee (Dhramanagar)

Shri Lakhindra Sinha
President,
Sahitya Parishad, Central Committee (Guwahati)

Shri Ashutosh (Ravi) Sinha
Secy. Sanskriti Parishad,
Assam State Committee (Guwahati)

Shri Umakanta Sinha
Secy. Andolan Parishad
Assam State Committee (Hailakandi)

Shri Shankha Sinha
Secy. NBM Student Union
Greater Guwahati Branch, Additional Charge State

Shri Sarajit Sinha
Secy. ‘EMA’ Socio-cultural NGO, Guwahati

Shri Ravindra Sharma
Member, NBMSU, Guwahati

Shri Debasis Sinha
Member, NBMSU, Guwahati

Shri Haridas Sinha
Member, NBMSU, Guwahati

Delhi Residents present in the meeting:

Shri Manilal Sinha, Shri Rajkumar Harilal Sinha, Shri Janmajay Sinha, Shri Lakhikanta Sinha, Shri Chandra Mohan Sinha, Shri Bimal Sinha, Shri Jishnu Singh, Shri Rajkumar Rishikesh Sinha, Mrs. Nandita Mukherjee and many (names not known).

Note: Errors in spellings of the names of the persons and in the part of information may remain crept in.

Mahasabha Meeting in New Delhi

The highest body of the Bishnupriya Manipuri community, the Mahasabha is going to meet in New Delhi on 8th May 2008. Brishnupriya Manipuri people residing all over India will be present in the meeting. Their accommodation will be done in Bipin Pal Memorial (BPM) campus at Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi.

The programs scheduled in this meeting are as follows:

• Youth’s Meet, Venue – BPM hall on 9.5.2008 (Evening)
• Mahasabha’s Organisational Discusion – 10.5.2008
• Get together with Ministers and MPs – 11.5.2008
• Press Meet – 12.5.2008

However, the programs are subjected to change.

It is worth mentioning that in 2005, similar gathering took place in New Delhi. They sat in dharna in front of the Jantar Mantar to demand the inclusion of Bishnupriya Manipuri programs in television and radio centres at Silchar, Cachar, Assam. However, a battery of high level officials of Mahasabha was also present there in the city to fight the language case in Supreme Court, which was won later.

Courtesy: Rebati Mohan Sinha

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A Hot – Sweet Travelogue – Part I

Rebati Mohan Sinha

Traveling is always a tiresome; but even then people perform it, as tourists, as pilgrims and professionals. Some are traveling on a compassionate ground to native place to fulfill their commitments, such as meeting of old parents, attending their family or social functions like marriages and birthday parties. My last journey to native place was not an exception.

My outward journey commenced at Mumbai Airport with an invitation in hand to take part in a function where a Senior Cabinet Minister was to lay foundation stone for a Holi Cross School at Kabuganj, Cachar; but it was my bad luck as I could not reach the venue due to delayed flight.

This ceremony would have been a memorable one for me to remember because the school is coming up on a controversial plot of land for which the Bishnupriya Manipuri people of Narsingpur Porgona (consisting of nine villages), are up in arms against the Holi Cross School, Silchar to set up its branch at Kabuganj and as a result they (Brishnupriya Manipuri people)socially boycotted the land lord who sold the plot for this noble cause, thinking that, this gentleman is promoting Christianity to these villages.

I was whole-heartedly supporting this land-lord for his untiring social works, one of them is this school, where our poor village students are getting chance to enroll their names in a village convent school. This whole episode made me to think that in this twenty first century also people are still leaving in tiny village wells and refused to come out of them.

Because of that delayed flight as mentioned earlier, I straightway headed for GANESH PUJA at my sister in law’s place at Tarapur, Silchar, where I could noticed, a group of singers from Bhakatpur rendering Aarti in front of the deity. Really, it had inspired me to join them for the rest of the program. At the end, I requested them to build a strong team to continue rendering such religious songs, thus keeping the taboo of our Bishnupriya Manipuri community.

The day next, on my reaching home, I had to attend a death anniversary of Narsingpur porgonas Gaagrar Senakhoia. His both sons cordially received the invitees with their folded hands; but after a while, I could see a section of gathering leaving the venue just prior to prosad lokorani.

On query I came to know that the supporters of the socially boycotted gentleman of Holi cross episode also were invited for the feast. The departed party never thought of the trouble taken for the preparation of prosadi and its wastage in the event of their refusal to sit together. Anyway, on host further request, party came back and sat together. I could see, the gathering was full of people retired from State/Central Govt.doing full time job of dola doli.

After a fort night, it so happened that the entire village would not be taking part in our Rakhal Raas celebration, unless I disassociate with the socially boycotted gentle man. It is to mention here that my father of 98 years old was also a victim of village doladoli as he happened to go to a feast in his car.I challenged their decision and went forward with the celebration by inviting the people from other villages. Of course, the transports were made available to them for attending the Raas Yatra.

We are, nowadays, socially so irresponsible that we never bother to reach at the venue in time, rather we take our own time, doing every possible job at home .In our community no function can start before 12 o clock, even though the feast is arranged in time. Can we say, it is a community living?

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Ranjit Sinha receives ‘Best Interjector’ Award

Ranjit Sinha, Associate Editor of ‘The Arunachal Times’ is seen receiving ‘Best Interjector’ Award in the debate competition from the Arunachal Pradesh DGP Ajay Chadha in a state-level debate competition held on the topic “Should criminals enjoy human rights”, at Police Training Centre, Banderdewa on March 28 last. The competition was organized by Arunachal Pradesh Police and NHRC to bring awareness on the Human Rights. Mr. Sinha is the native of Pathakandi in Karimganj district of Assam.

Position of Mrs. Kumkum Sinha in BSG

By Rebati Mohan Sinha

As I was also a scout in my school days and participated in a state’s jamboorie held in Naugaon in 1956. Having read the news piece [Mrs. Kumkum Sinha Appointed Commisioner (NE Region) of the BSG]I was overwhelmed and thought of giving a brief about Bharat Scouts & Guides for the readers of this blog.

This is a voluntary non political, educational movement for young people conceived by Lord Baden Powell in 1907. The purpose of the movement is to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their physical, intellectual, social and spiritual as individual, as responsible citizens and as member of the local, national, and international communities.

I would like to give a small organizational chart which will give the position of Mrs. Kumkum Sinha as National H.Q .Commissioner for Scouts and Guides. The vice President of India is the patron of B.S&G. The organization Chart is headed by a President and six Vice Presidents and followed by the National Commissioner.

One of the National HQ Commissioners is Mrs. Kumkum Sinha.

She is the first Lady Commissioner appointed for North Eastern states and it brings pride to our Bishnupriya Manipuri community. Kudos to her and all the other unknown champions of our community who are excelling in their own fields and bringing prestige and honour to us all.

Leaders are mum on the OBC issue

The Bishnupriya Manipuri leaders are silent on the exclusion of the community’s name in the OBCs list of Assam.

By Rebati Mohan Sinha

I fear the SC judgment will damage the reputation of our few elite institutions like IITs and IIMs. Although I am against the quota system; but one thing, I appreciate the most the way the Govt. has shown its sincerity. I could see that our leaders in the future will be our next generation OBCs, if they are not better educated, governance will not get improved. Why then should I feel ill about it? In my view the hidden agenda of OBC quota was to put children of OBC netas, babus in to our top ranking institutions through this unfair means.

Since talent is such a scare commodity, successful nations nurture it through elite institutions, such as IITs and IIMs. At the same time they meet the demand of others through an adequate supply of institutions. This is the way they achieve excellence. The demand for quota in higher education arises from scarcity. We have a very few good colleges because here in India education is not liberalized and it comes in the concurent list of the constitution. It is under the control of netas and babus. Because of Govt. policy, less than 45 out of 250 colleges, only produce employable graduates.

An ordinary family in a village, at the most, wants a good school to impart education to lift its children out of poverty; but Govt. thinks it in other way. The roots of individual failure are laid in schools. The World Bank data shows that ours is one of the worst primary school system in the world and worse than many African countries. The HRD deptt.’s job was to go for education reform and instead let loose a caste war,which is very dangerous for the nation.

Other day, I was shocked to learn that Bishnupriya Manipuri’s name in OBC list forwarded by the Assam State Govt. was not included. Immediately I started contacting the so called our leaders; but no satisfactory answers received from them. After the SC verdict, the Bishnupriya Manipuri name should have been included; but no Sanstha had tried to find out the outcome and as a result, no Brishnupriya Manipuri student would be able to enroll his/her name in any Central Institutes, like Guwahati IIT in this academic year. One thing I would like to clear it here that only Bishnupriya Manipuri creamy layer would be able to send their children for higher education; but no poor family can, because the higher education is nowadays so costly.

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