The writer, commissioned in the NCC as a second Lieutenant in the year 1956 joined the Manipur NCC Independent Company established at the DM College campus as its Adjutant officer, after passing out NCC officers’ regional three months tough initial military training underwent at the Assam Regimental Training Centre, Happy Valley, Shillong where the initial military training of the NCC officers, both of the junior and senior divisions of schools and colleges of the north-east region was then conducted under the very strict supervision and guidance of then Lt Colonel BC Pande, the Commandant of the Training Centre, who later on became a Brigadier in the Indian Army and the IG of the BSF and founded its Academy for advanced training at Tekanpur, near Gwalior (some 20 miles from the old city).

The pioneer officer of the Manipur NCC unit (then existed only in the status of an independent company) was late Captain Lawrence Hope Hartnett of the 16 Sikh Regiment who later on became also the pioneer officer of the Manipur Rifles reorganised and revitalised Battalions, namely the 1st and the 2nd Battalions - it was he who really reorganised the 1st Battalion and raised the 2nd Battalion during the period from 1958 to 1959 making them the best units in their insurgency operational performances amongst all the Army and para-military units who operated in the most difficult areas of Tamenglong and Ukhrul under the then 23 Division stationed at Kohima, which later on became the 8 Mountain Division.

The other two NCC senior division officers of the DM College were professors and 2nd Lieutenants, E. Sonamani Singh and Roy of the History department, the former was holding the charge of Quarter Master.

Though the Manipur NCC, that time, was only in the status of an independent company, the maximum number of students of the DM College joined as the cadets with enormous interest attending the military training regularly and almost all of them passed out the B and C certificate annual examinations successfully, and it had been many of the most brilliant NCC cadets of Manipur unit who became the Ministers, the Director Generals of Police, the Colonels in the Indian Army - to name a few of them - the former Deputy Chief Minister, Dr L Chandramani Singh, late L Jugeshore Singh, former and first Meitei DG of Police followed by S Bimolchandra Singh, the second local DG of Police.

Among the IG ranked officers include Th Karunamaya, Arambam Pradeep Singh etc Lt Colonels, RK Gopal Sana (Rajendra Singh), RK Jatrasana Singh.

Amongst such brilliant NCC cadets of Manipur, late Arambam Somorendra Singh was one with whom the writer had very close association he being the senior-most NCC cadet in the rank of senior-most Under Officer ably supported by other Junior Under Officers, namely P. Gangte, Arambam Lokendra Singh and N Chitaranjan Singh (Pahari), G Robindro Sharma, Eken Singh, N Sanajaoba Singh in the rank of sergeant majors and sergeants.

It was Arambam Somorendra Singh who most actively, boldly and dynamically assisted in all the daily and regular parades held at the college campus and also during the annual training and social service camps held in and outside Manipur, as it was not an easy task to control and tighten up discipline of the cadets without the due and most able assistance of the most courageous, intelligent and dynamic student leaders like late Arambam Somorendra who was really ‘the asset’ of the Manipur NCC of that time.

The most memorable and unforgettable event of the Manipur NCC taken place during the year 1957 was that of the incident that took place in the night when the entire contingent of cadets numbering some 200 and the army staff led by the Officer Commanding, Captain LH Hartnett had marched on foot in the dark night without food for about 15 miles with full arms including LMGs from the bank of the Brahma-putra river to Tezpur town on way to the site of the combined NCC annual camp as the NCC vehicles from the camp site did not turn up when the contingent of the entire Manipur NCC landed on the river side by steamer from the other side of the river after coming by train from Dimapur.

The decision to march on foot was taken, though it was quite a risky one, by the officer commanding as there was no other alternative. For all the heavy equipments of camp stores and rations carried for the training camp, luckily a civilian goods truck was available in which all the stores were loaded and Quarter Master Lt E. Sonamani Singh with a few army staff had been sent up in advance.

Marching some 15 miles on foot in an unknown place in the dark without food was something which cannot be and usually done even by the regular army personnel but - Bravo to the Manipur NCC cadets! they did it - the great ordeal was overcome due to the courage and initiative and interest infused by student leaders like Somorendra Singh to all the cadets, who could easily overcome the hardship faced by marching to the tune of singing led by N Chitaranjan, Robindro Sharma etc - the songs sung to the steps of the marching were “Khamu Khamu mitki pirang” - composed and written by Somorendra Singh and “Yaad kiya dilne kaha tu”, etc. - these songs always aroused the sentiments of all the officers and cadets who had happened to experience the untold hardships of the unique event that had happened.

In the annual social NCC social service camp held at Sibsagar in the year 1958 under the command of the OC Captain Ghatge of the Marathas the Manipur NCC cadets earned their laurel as they constructed a public katcha earthen road of some 6 miles long within a short period of some 15 days of their camping thereby marching on foot with all the working heavy tools on their shoulders in overhaul dress every early morning and back to the camp covering a distance of more than 15 miles daily - marching back to the camp after working in a very tired, hungry and thirsty condition could be done only by the Manipur NCC cadets who by dint of such unique performances put up became the best unit amongst all the units of Assam and others of the No. 9 circle - such unique and extraordinary performance could be put up because of the most dynamic junior leadership displayed by student leader like Arambam Somorendra, under whose witty directions very entertaining short variety programmes were also staged during the social evenings of the camps and also during the celebrations of the annual NCC day functions.

Arambam Somorendra was the eldest son of late Arambam Dorendrajit, a reknown poet, dramatist and Sanskrit scholar and grandson of late Meino Singh, the first Sub-Inspector of Police and the first officer-in charge of the Manipur Police station established at Imphal after whose name the lane at Sagolband, Imphal came to be known as Sagolband Meino Leirak.

The youngest daughter of Maharaj Surchandra Singh of 1886 to 1890 was the grandmother of Somorendra, who therefore inherited all the extraordinary qualities of having the exceptional dynamic leadership and of being a highly intellectual person from his forefathers which he began to exhibit from his early young days as is truly says in the proverb - “the morning shows the day”.

Had Somorendra also joined the services he could have risen to the top echelons of the departments as had been done by his colleagues, but alas! it is very sad that he had not been destined by his “fate” to do so and also to live for a much longer period contributing further his in-born, very rare “talents” to the society, particularly in the fields of “theatres” and “literatures” - the writer also joins all in remembering him and saying “may his departed soul rest ever in peace”.