Documenting History - Written and Oral Histories of Manipur
- 13 October 2012, Conference Hall, Classic Hotel, Imphal -

For more than 63 years of Indian republic, it has come to light that the history/histories of 45 million of its citizens living in 8 states of the Northeast region of the country are absent in schools, colleges and university text books. This is one of the major cause of the wrong perception and discrimination of people of Northeast region when they travel for study and work in different parts of India. Concerned citizens, scholars in the region and beyond felt that this needs to be urgently rectified

Understanding and noticing this major lacunae, team of Manipur Women Gun Survivor Network led by its founder, Ms Binalakshmi Nepram called on Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) chairperson on 14 Sept 2012 in New Delhi and shared this major concern. ICHR is a premier body of Ministry of Human Resource dealing with historical research. As an immediate follow-up to this meeting, Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) team lead by the Chairman Professor Basudev Chatterji resolved to come to Manipur on 13 October 2012 to assess the situation and start work to rectify the absence of history/histories of Northeast Region.

Hence at the occasion of the ICHR in Manipur, team at Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network (MWGSN) and Northeast India Woman Initiative for Peace(NEIWIP) will be organising the conference "Documenting History - Written and Oral Histories of Manipur", to be held from 10.30am to 2.30pm at the Conference Hall, Classic Hotel, Imphal, Manipur. The event will be participated by eminent historians and professors from Manipur. Some of prominent historians attending conference are Professor Gangumei Kabui, Dr MC Arun, Professor Amar Yumnam, Ms Arambam Ongbi Memchoubi,Professor N. Joykumar and many others. A former Advocate and present Manipur MLA, RK Anand will be gracing the occasion as Chief Guest.

The theme of meeting will be on Manipur. The state home to over 33 major ethnic communities have their own tradition and cultures and strong historical background. It has its own indigenous chronicles which dates back 3000 years back called the “Cheitharol Kumbaba” or “The Royal Chronicle of Manipur”. In addition to this the state has rich oral history in the form of folktales, folksongs, lullaby, church records, private letters of the 2nd World War period etc. which has been passed over the years.

As mentioned above, documentation of proper search and documentation of materials of historical importance of Northeast India is very much needed as it will help in better understanding of this region and in turn help in bringing peace and development.

Programme Schedule

Documenting History - Written and Oral Histories of Manipur

Time: 10.00am to 2.30pm
Date: 13th October 2012
Venue: The Classic Hotel, Imphal Manipur

Organised by
Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network
Northeast India Women Initiative for Peace
at the occasion of the visit to Manipur of Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR)

Timing Programme Schedule
10.00am Registration

Timing Inaugural Session:
10.30am Introduction to meeting by Ms Binalakshmi Nepram, Founder, Manipur Women Gun Survivor Network & Convener, Northeast India Woman Initiative for Peace
10.40am Inauguration of the meeting by Prof Basudev Chatterji, Chairman, Indian Council of Historical Research
10.55am Statement by Chief Guest RK Anand , Member of Legislative Assembly , Manipur (tbc)
11.10am Statement by Dr M C Arun, Associate Professor, Anthropology Department, Manipur University
11.15am Statement by Prof Gangumei Kabui, Eminent Historian
11.30am Statement by Prof N Lokendra Singh, Registrar, Manipur University (tbc)
11.45am Statement by Ms Arambam Ongbi Memchoubi, Former laureate of the UNESCO-ASCHBERG Bursaries for Artists
12.00pm Statement by Ojha Yambem Laba, Former Member, Human Right Commission, Manipur
12.15pm Statement by Shri Nepram Bihari, Author, “Cheitharol Kumbaba: The Royal Chronicle of Manipur”
12.30 Tea Break

Session I

Present Situation of Northeast India Region & Histories of Northeast India
1.00 pm Statement by Prof Amar Yumnam, Dean, School of Social Science, Manipur University
1.15 pm Statement by Dr Ishrat Alam, Member Secretary, Indian Council of Historical Research
1.30 pm Statement by Dr Jibon Kumar Sharma, Director, Manipur Institute of Management Studies (MIMS) (tbc)
1.45 pm Statement by Dr N. Joykumar, Professor Manipur University
2.00pm Statement by Mr Roy Laifungbam, Centre for Organization Research and Education (tbc)
2.15pm Statement by Shri Uttam Bathari, In- charge, ICHR’s North Eastern Regional Centre (NERC)
2.30pm Vote of thanks by Ms Mutum Reena Devi, Coordinator, Manipur Women Gun Survivor Network


For more information, kindly contact:

Ms Binalakshmi Nepram
Founder, Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network
Convener, Northeast India woman initiative for Peace

Manipur Address:
Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network,
Sagolband Nepra Menjor Leikai,
Imphal 795001,
Email: Binalakshmi(at)gmail(dot)com, reenamutum(at)gmail(dot)com,
Website: www.womensurvivorsnetwork.org, www.neiwipblogspot.org