Meitei also known as Manipuri, is a Tibeto-Burman language of northeast India. It is the official language and the lingua franca of Manipur and an additional official language in four districts of Assam. It is one of the constitutionally scheduled official languages of the Indian Republic. Meitei is the most widely-spoken Tibeto-Burman language of India and the third most widely spoken language of northeast India after Assamese and Bengali. There are 1.76 million Meitei native speakers in India according to the 2011 census, 1.52 million of whom are found in the state of Manipur, where they represent the majority of its population. There are smaller communities in neighbouring Indian states, such as Assam (168,000), Tripura (24,000), Nagaland (9,500), and elsewhere in the country (37,500). The language is also spoken by smaller groups in neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Kulachandra Singh was a Meitei monarch and the Maharaja of Manipur kingdom. He was a son of Maharaja Chandrakriti.
Surja Bala Hijam, better known as Bala Hijam is an Indian actress, who predominantly appears in Manipuri films. She is known for her lead role in Malayalam road film, titled Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi.
The Manipuri Sahitya Parishad is a literary council dedicated to the active promotion and the development of literary works in the Meitei language in India. in national as well as international levels. It has its branches in the Manupur cities of Imphal, Jiribam, Bishnupur and Thoubal inside Manipur and in Tripura and Meghalaya in Assam.
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) to Oken Amakcham's Lammei, the first Manipuri digital film (2002), Manipuri cinema, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, has grown in both its form and culture.
Lugongbagi Ahing is a 2011 Manipuri film directed by Bijgupta Laishram and produced by T. Baruni Devi, under the banner of Baruni Films. The film features Gokul Athokpam, Bala Hijam and Ashok Seleibam in the lead roles. The film was released at Classic Hotel, Imphal on 3 June 2011. It is a 2011 blockbuster film.
Chatledo Eidi is a 2000 Indian Manipuri film directed and produced by Makhonmani Mongsaba under the banner of Sangai Films. It is based on the famous radio play Chatledo Eidi Meigee Ching Puduna by Moirangthem Inao. The film was selected for Indian Panorama of the 32nd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2001. The movie won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 48th National Film Awards.
Bobby Wahengbam is an Indian filmmaker, producer, writer and film critic known for his works in Manipuri films. He is the recipient of several accolades, including two National Film Awards. As a film critic, he contributed regularly for local and national newspapers for the last two decades, where some of his writings have been translated into other languages as well. Now, he regularly writes as a cinema critic for The People's Chronicle, a local English daily, every Sunday.
Bishesh Huirem is an Indian actress and model from the Meitei ethnicity of Manipur. She is best known for being the first Indian to represent India at the Miss International Queen for Transgender 2016 organised in Pattaya, Thailand. She is the first Indian transgender to be appointed as a state icon for the parliamentary polls in the Lok Sabha elections. She is the first transgender to win the "Best Actor Award" in the 14th Manipur State Film Awards, 2022. It's Not My Choice directed by Priyakanta Laishram and Apaiba Leichil directed by Bobby Wahengbam are some of her notable films.
Miss Manipur or Miss Manipur Queen is an annual beauty pageant that is run by the Manipur based Miss Manipur Committee (MMC). It is one of the most watched beauty pageants in North East India. It co-exists with Femina Miss India Manipur, Miss Kangleipak and Miss Meetei Chanu. The titleholder of Miss Manipur represents Manipur in the Miss North East, organised by Northeast Beauty Pageant Organisation (NEBPO) every year.
Manipuri Language Day, is an annual celebration of the Manipuri (Meitei) language in India and Bangladesh on 20 August. It is the day in 1992 on which Manipuri was added to the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, making it one of the official languages of India.
The social movement of Meitei language to be included as an associate official language of the Government of Assam is advocated by several literary, political, social associations and organisations as well as notable individual personalities of Northeast India.
The Meitei language, also known as the Manipuri language, is one of the seven officially declared minority languages, recognised by the Government of Tripura. Its promotion and development are done by the Directorate of Kokborok & Other Minority Languages, established in August 2012.
Miss Kangleipak (Women's Best Physique) is an annual female bodybuilding competition of Kangleipak (Manipur). It co-exists with Miss Manipur, Femina Miss India Manipur and Meetei Chanu. Founded in the year 2012 by the "Manipur Amateur Body Builders Association" (MABBA), Miss Kangleipak is sponsored by the "Janaki Bar Bell Club" (JBC), Singjamei and "Lamyanba Meitei Gym", Sagolband Moirang Hanuba Leirak.
Mount Manipur, formerly known as Mount Harriet, is the third highest peak in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. The mountain houses the Mount Manipur Memorial, which commemorates the Manipuri freedom fighters of the Anglo-Manipur War and the Mount Manipur National Park (Mount Harriet National Park), which is best known for its rich biodiversity in the archipelago. On 17 October 2021, Mount Harriet was officially renamed as Mount Manipur by the Union Government of India, as a tribute to the freedom fighters of Manipur. This was initially announced by Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister of India, in a function in Port Blair, highlighting about the sacrifices of Yuvaraj Tikendrajit Singh, General Thangal, Meitei King Kulachandra Dhwaja Singh, the Maharajah of Manipur kingdom and other 22 freedom fighters of the Anglo-Manipur war of 1891.
Events in the year 2022 in Manipur
The Marjing Polo Statue is a colossal classical equestrian statue of a player of Sagol Kangjei, riding a Meitei horse, constructed at the Marjing Polo Complex, the sacred sports site dedicated to God Marjing, the ancient Meitei deity of polo and horses, in Heingang, Imphal East District, Kangleipak . It is the world's tallest statue of a polo player. It is built to commemorate the game of "modern polo" being originated from Kangleipak.
The Meitei language, or Manipuri language, is a minority language in Bangladesh. It is spoken by around 15,000 ethnic Manipuris, mainly concentrated in the Sylhet Division. The Meitei language is also a second language for Bishnupriyas in Bangladesh.
2023 in Meitei culture, including but not limited to Meitei architecture, Meitei cinema, Meitei cuisine, Meitei dances, Meitei festivals, Meitei language, Meitei literature, Meitei music, Meitei religion, Meitei script, etc.
Thambal - The Legacy of Celestial Flower is a 2024 Manipuri film written by Biseshwar Philem and directed by Datamo Sharma. Produced by Ashalata Oinam under the banner of Kangleiwood Cinema, it stars Pinky Saikhom, Avi Khundrakpam, Lamnganbi Laishram and Suraj Ngashepam in the lead roles. The film was certified by CBFC in 2023. It is slated to be released at Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS), Palace Compound on 15 November 2024.
"Gold Winner" of the International Muse Design Award 2022 [12] [13] [14]