Rishang Keishing, the religious leader

Neelmani Keithellakpam *

Rishang Keishing, the lone representative from Manipur at the Rajya Sabha, is the oldest serving parliamentarian in both houses. The Congress Member of Parliament who celebrates his 91st birthday on October 25 next was a ripe 89 years when Sonia Gandhi approved his nomination for his second stint at the upper house.

Keishing's current term expires in April 2014, which means he will be around 95 years by then. He is looking forward to dispensing his duties with vigor, maintaining that his day is as busy as had ever been, his health is keeping in pace with his hectic schedule quite harmoniously and any premature retirement should be ruled out.

"My days are so busy I could not even spare time to exercise. Whether, I am in Delhi or Imphal, most of my time is spent in meeting people and attending gatherings. Moreover, as an elder, I have the added responsibility of giving advice to younger folks on how to conduct their lives. I am still enjoying my public life and plans to continue till the end of my term. Any thought of exiting public life will be considered then." he said.

The veteran Tangkhul leader was born to Rungdi and Mungshingla Keishing at Bungpa Khunou, a small village in Ukhrul district, on October 25, 1919. He was the eldest of eight siblings. His father Rungdi was the village blacksmith and a carpenter and lived upto 105 years. He married Khatingla Keishing on April 15, 1950 and the couple have four sons and two daughters.

Rishang Keishing flanked by well wishers on his 90th B'day in the last week of October 2009 Photo Courtesy: The Sangai Express

Keishing represented the first Lok Sabha in 1952 and was the chief minister of Manipur for a record 13 years despite belonging to a minority Naga community. A devoted Christian, Keishing has been involved with church activities since his teenage and does not indulge in liquor, cigarettes or other habit forming substances.

He believes that his resolute faith in God is the inspiration behind his long tenure as a politician and a social worker. Nowadays, he attends the Manipur Baptist Church in Imphal and seldom misses its services. Keishing had chosen public service as his fate as early as his student days. Despite being one of the first graduate in his district, he did not succumb to the lure of government jobs though it was well within his grasp. Instead, immediately after obtaining his graduation from St. Pauls Cathedral College in erstwhile Calcutta in 1949, he set up Ukhrul High School and served as the principal for three year before he decided to take the political plunge.

Even after settling down as a politician, Keishing did not miss an opportunity to promote education, especially in places where it was deprived. He was instrumental in setting up the Manipur University, now a centralized university, and degree colleges in all hill districts. Possibly, the hardship he endured as a student made him determined to ensure quality education is more easily accessible.

Keishing thanked his youngest maternal uncle who made it his personal battle to see that he get proper education. The uncle, who had studied till the sixth standard, succeeded in convincing his rather reluctant parents to allow him to study. Keishing left home and studied elementary school at missionary schools in Shangshak and Ukhrul, approximately 55 kms and 70 kms from Bungpa. Thereafter, he continued his studies in Imphal and Kohima.

In 1941, while in Kohima, his study was disrupted due to the Second World War. Japanese army invaded north-east India, including Kohima, dragging the war into Indian soil.

During this period, Keishing served as an interpreter with the British Army and shared frontline experience with the legendary Gorkha Regiment. He said he guided the soldiers as far as Chindwin River in Myanmar. Keishing compared the service to a summer holiday job. He was paid a handsome monthly salary of Rs 70 which he recollected took care of much of his education after the war was over.

Things eased after passing matriculation from Johrat Christian High School as he received sponsorship from two American missionary for his intermediates and sports scholarship for his B.A course on virtue of being a college athletic champion for four years and excellence at the Calcutta University tournaments.

Rishang Keishing-the politician is remembered as an articulate statesman and able administrator. He invariably shied away from mud-slinging with his political opponents and weighed his words before expressing them even in the most emotional moment. However, that never hindered his ability to communicate and stamp his authority.

His political shrewdness was so feared that it was believed without the approval of the party high command no congress leader in the state could challenge his leadership. The inevitable happened in 1998, when a coup led by the then speaker of the Assembly, W Nipamacha dislodged him disobeying orders from the high command. Nipamacha who took over as chief minister deserted the party with other Congress legislators. Only Rishang stayed behind.

Keishing has the rare distinction of serving under the leadership of four generations of the Nehru-Gandhi family. Keishing owes a lot to the family for the longevity and luster of his political career. He admitted that during critical period in his life they had reposed their faith in him. Not surprisingly, he had served the family and party like a loyal soldier for around four decades, sticking with them at times when their fortune waned.

Keishing reminded that he was a fire brand socialist when he entered politics. In fact, he represented the Socialist Party of India at the first and third Lok Sabha in 1952 and 1962. He bitterly fought the policies of the Congress both at the Centre and home and was jailed twice for his anti-Congress activism.

In 1962, when war broke out between India and China, Keishing said, he had a political reawakening. Disillusionment with his socialist ideologies grew to a point that he resolved to renounce it completely. Jawaharlal Nehru warmly welcomed him to the Congress fold despite severe objections from party leaders in Manipur who knew him until then as their main adversary, Keishing recalled fondly.

Incidentally, after a stint as opposition leader, it was Indira Gandhi who chose him for chief ministership when the party came back to power in 1980 overlooking a host of senior leaders, Keishing said, admitting that he was totally taken by surprise. Then, it was Rajiv Gandhi's turn to do him a favor during his wilderness in 1989, when he was replaced by RK Dorendro as chief minister, by inducting him as a member of the Ninth Finance Commission.

After his surprising defeat in the 2001 Assembly election, Keishing, who had been elected to the state Assembly from 1972 to 2001, was being marginalized after the formation of a Congress led coalition government in the state.

Keishing nomination to the Rajya Sabha candidate despite his growing difference with chief minister Okram Ibobi in 2002 was linked to his closeness to the Gandhis and was a graceful distancing act from state politics. Of course, when he was re-nominated for the same position in 2008, it was admittedly due to the insistence of Sonia Gandhi.

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* Neelmani Keithellakpam wrote this article for Hueiyen Lanpao (English Edition)
This article was webcasted at e-pao.net on 25 July 2010.

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