Imphal is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. It is the second largest city in Northeast India after Guwahati. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace, the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a moat. Spread over parts of the districts of Imphal West and Imphal East, the former contains the majority of the city's area and population. Imphal is part of the Smart Cities Mission under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Being a mega commercial hub, Imphal is known for its weaving, brass-ware, bronze-ware, and other cottage industries. Meitei language is the most widely spoken language in the city.
The Meitei people, Meetei people, or Manipuri people is an ethnic group native to Manipur. They form the largest and dominant ethnic group of Manipur in Northeast India. They speak the Meitei language, one of the 22 official languages of the Indian Republic and the sole official language of Government of Manipur. The Meiteis primarily settled in the valley areas in modern-day Manipur, though a sizeable population has settled in the other Indian states of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. There is also a notable presence of Meitei people in the neighbouring countries of Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Meitei ethnic group represents about 53% of Manipur's population.
Hmar is a Kuki ethnic group living in Northeast Indian state of Manipur, Mizoram, Assam and western Myanmar (Burma) and eastern Bangladesh. They use Meitei language as their second language (L2) in Manipur. They speak Mizo language as their L1 in Mizoram.
Nongthombam Biren Singh is an Indian politician, former footballer and journalist who is currently serving as the 12th Chief Minister of Manipur since 2017 representing Heingang Assembly constituency in the Manipur Legislative Assembly since 2002 as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Besides being the chairman of Shri Shri Govindaji Temple Board, he is the first incumbent Chief Minister who serves as the president of the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board (LSTB), the temple development board of Lainingthou Sanamahi of the Sanamahi religion since 2021.
North Imphal Sporting Association, commonly known as NISA Manipur, is an Indian professional football club based in Thangmeiband, Manipur. NISA is five-time champions of the Manipur State League, which is a project under the Vision Asia program by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). They have also participated in the I-League 2nd Division, then second tier of Indian football league system.
The Manipur State League is the highest state-level football league in Manipur, India. It has been organised since 2006 by the All Manipur Football Association under the Vision India program with guidance from the AFC and the AIFF.
The Dewarists is a musical television series on MTV India. The series is part music documentary and part travelogue. The show casts musicians from various parts of the world, collaborating to create original music while travelling across India. The first season featured a total of ten episodes. It featured many musicians, including Imogen Heap, Vishal–Shekhar, Zeb and Haniya, Shantanu Moitra, Swanand Kirkire, Indian Ocean, Mohit Chauhan, Parikrama, Agnee, Shilpa Rao, Shri, Monica Dogra, Rajasthan Roots, Papon, Rabbi Shergill, Shubha Mudgal, Swarathma, MIDIval Punditz, Humble the Poet, Karsh Kale, Baiju Dharmajan, Njeralathu Harigovindan, Raghu Dixit and Rewben Mashangva.
Rewben Mashangva, also Guru Rewben Mashangva, is a folk musician and singer from Manipur, India. He is known for reviving musical tradition of the Tangkhul Naga of Manipur, and use of traditional musical instruments in his songs. Influenced by musicians such as Bob Dylan and Bob Marley, Rewben Mashangva has created many Naga tribal folk songs based on blues and ballad rhythms. He is known by different names including, 'Bob Dylan of the Nagas' and 'King of Naga folk blues', plus 'Father of Naga folk blues'. He received the National Tribal Award 2011-12, for his contribution to the development of tribal music from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India. The Government of India honoured him in 2021, with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for his rich contribution to art.
Manipuri Brahmins or Meitei Brahmins are the Brahmins who speak the Meitei language as their native tongue and mainly reside in the valley areas of Manipur.
Armstrong Pame is an officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of 2009 batch belonging to Manipur cadre. He belongs to Zeme Naga tribe of the Zeliangrong community from Manipur. Armstrong Pame is a recipient of several awards including India's Most Eminent IAS Officer Award 2015 and India's distinguished IAS Officers Award 2021.
NEROCA Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in Imphal, Manipur, that competes in I-League, the second tier of Indian football league system. Founded in 1965, and nicknamed "Orange Brigade", the club made their I-League 2nd Division debut in the 2015–16 season. Winning the 2016–17 league, they secured promotion to the I-League.
The Cinema of Manipur is the film industry based in Manipur, India. It includes not only Meitei language movies but all the films made in different languages of the different communities in Manipur. The Manipuri film industry was born when Matamgi Manipur by Debkumar Bose was released on 9 April 1972. From Aribam Syam Sharma's Paokhum Ama, the first colour Manipuri film (1983), M.A Singh's Langlen Thadoi, the first full-length colour Manipuri film (1984), Oken Amakcham's Lammei, the first Manipuri digital film (2002), to Priyakanta Laishram's Oneness (film), the first Manipuri gay-themed film (2023), Manipuri cinema, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, has grown in both its form and culture.
Meira Paibi is a women's social movement in the Indian state of Manipur. Referred to as the "guardians of civil society", Meira Paibi dates to 1977 in present Kakching district. It derives its name from the flaming torches which the women carry while marching through city streets, often at night. They do so both as a patrol, and in protest, seeking redress against human rights violations committed by paramilitary and armed forces units against the innocent. Contextualized, Meira Paibi was founded at a time when the people of Manipur were fighting for self-determination, political autonomy, and independence.
Imphal Talkies and the Howlers is a folk-rock band from Manipur, India. The band released its debut album Tiddim Road in 2009, and has since then performed across India and released some prominent albums. The band is known for singing protest songs about politics, insurgency, human rights issues, and racial attacks in Manipur and across the North-East States of India. Their music has also been associated as working against the draconian act AFSPA of 1958, that grant special powers to the Indian Armed Forces in some states of India, which are branded as "disturbed areas" by the Indian Government. Rolling Stone Magazine, India termed them as the ‘Voice’ of the North Eastern states of India while reviewing their album. The band was also chosen as one of the 33 bands from 33 countries for the music album compilation entitled Album of the Revolution released in UK by "Un-convention In Place of War Project". Recently the band founder Akhu Chingangbam signed a joint Human right activists statement demanding withdrawal of sedition charge and release of Student Activist Rinshad Reera in Kerala.
Robert Naorem is an Indian fashion entrepreneur, designer and makeup artist from Manipur, India. He is known for his contribution towards the handloom and textile of Manipur.
Khurai is one of the 60 Legislative Assembly constituencies of Manipur state in India.
Rajkumar Meghen alias Sana Yaima is a Manipuri separatist politician and former chairman of United National Liberation Front.
Manipuri Language Day, is an annual celebration of the Manipuri (Meitei) language in India and Bangladesh 20 August. It is a of the day on which Manipuri was added to the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, making it one of the official languages of India on 20 August 1992.
The social movement of Meitei language to achieve the officially recognised status of the "Classical language of India" is advocated by various literary, political, social associations and organisations as well as notable individual personalities of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Northeast India.
In Meitei mythology and Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur, Kanglā shā is a sacred guardian beast with a lion's body and a two-horned dragon's head, with two horns. It is a royal symbol of the Meitei royalties . The most remarkable statues dedicated to "Kangla Sa" stand inside the Kangla.
