Ningthoukhongjam Khelchandra | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 May 1917 |
| Died | 31 January 2011 |
| Resting place | Uripok Ningthoukhongjam Leikai 24°48′20″N93°55′24″E / 24.80556°N 93.92333°E |
| Other names | Pundit Ningthoukhongjam Khelchandra Singh |
| Occupation | Writer Lexicographer Historian |
| Known for | Manipuri to Manipuri and English dictionary |
| Children | 5 sons and 5 daughters |
| Awards | Padma Shri Sahitya Akademi Fellowship Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship President's Silver Medal Manipuri Sahitya Parishad Gavesana Bhusan Manipur State Kala Akademi Fellowship |
Ningthoukhongjam Khelchandra Singh was an Indian writer, lexicographer and historian, [1] [2] known as the author of Manipuri to Manipuri and English, the first modern general dictionary in Meitei language, which was published in 1964. [3] He was a fellow of the Sahitya Akademi [4] and Sangeet Natak Akademi. [5] The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1987. [6]
Khelchandra Singh was born on 1 September 1920 at Uripok Ningthoukhongjam Leikai, a small hamlet in Imphal, the capital of the northeast Indian state of Manipur. [2] He did his studies in the traditional way under many teachers such as Dinachandra Singh, Pandit Parasuram, Pandit Madhop, Pandit Chandra and Pandit Deva Singh. His career started at Manipur Secretariat and spent the whole of his career with the Government of Manipur to retire as an under secretary. [2] After superannuation from service, he worked as a visiting faculty at the Jawaharlal Nehru University Centre, Imphal for a brief period. [2] He was associated with several Meitei cultural and historical associations. [1] He served as the president of Manipur Historical Society and Manipur Sahitya Parishad and was the vice president of Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal. [1] He was the president of Manipuri Martial Arts Association and Atombapu Research Centre, Manipur and sat on the expert committees of Manipur State Kala Akademi, Department of Arts and Culture and Manipur University. [2] He represented Manipur at several sessions of Indian Historical Records Commission, Purba Bharat Sankritic Sammelan, Kolkata, Indian History Congress, Bombay and Indo-Myanmar Trade and Economic Co-operation Seminar, Mandalay. [2]
Khelchandra Singh died on 31 January 2011, aged 90, at Imphal, succumbing to age related illnesses. [1] He was survived by his five sons and five daughters, his wife preceding him in death. [1]
Khelchandra Singh wrote in Meitei and English and is known to have published over 30 books. [2] Manipuri to Manipuri and English Dictionary, published in 1964, is reported to be the first modern general dictionary in Meitei language. Another book of linguistics he wrote is Manipuri Language-Status and Importance, which was published in 1975. [7] He transliterated Uttarakhand Ramayana and Ashamedha Parba Mahabharat from Old Meitei to modern Meitei. [2] As a historian, he edited eight books, Genealogy of Manipuri Kings, Cheitharol Kumbaba , royal chronicles of Manipur, an anthology of Old Meitei poems, an anthology of Old Meitei prose, a collection of hymns and prayers prevalent in Pre-Vaishnavite Manipur, An account of the hills of Manipur, A treatise on Manuscripts, and Sarit Sarat, a book on the heroic accounts of Manipuri Martial Combats. [2] One of his books, History of Old Manipuri Literature (Ariba Maṇipurī Sahityagī Itihasa), is a text book for post graduate and research studies. [8] Among his books written in English are Battle of Khongjom, (an account of the last battle between Manipur and the British forces) [9] Documents of Anglo-Manipuri War 1891 (three volumes), [10] Thangal General (life history of the renowned Meitei warrior) [11] and Kangla. [12] He also contributed two chapters of the book, Dictionary of National Biography, the biographies of Pandit Raj Atombapu Sharma and Thangal General. [13]
Khelchandra Singh received a service excellence award, the President's Silver Medal, in 1951, for his services during the 1951 Census of India. [2] Manipuri Sahitya Parishad awarded him the Gavesana Bhusan award for his research activities in 1971 and he was elected as a fellow of the Manipur State Kala Akademi in 1980. [2] The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1987. [6] Three years later, Sahitya Akademi chose him as their fellow in 1999 [4] and the Sangeet Natak Akademi followed suit with their fellowship in 2006. [5] Manipur Historical Society have instituted an annual lecture, Pandit Ningthoukhongjam Khelchandra Singh Memorial Lecture, in honour of Singh. [14]
Meitei (/mə́i.təi/), officially known as Manipuri, is a Tibeto-Burman language of the Sino-Tibetan family. It is the official language, the lingua franca and the most widely spoken language of the state of Manipur in northeastern India. It is one of the official languages of the Government of India. It is also spoken in the states of Assam and Tripura in Northeast India as well as in parts of Bangladesh and Burma. It was the court language of the Manipur Kingdom (Meeteileipak) and was used with honour before and during the Durbar (court) sessions before Manipur was merged into the Dominion of the Indian Republic, having its history of existence dating back to 1500-2000 years in accordance to most eminent linguists and scholars, including Padma Vibhushan awardee Indian scholar Suniti Kumar Chatterji. In accordance to the "Manipur State Constitution Act 1947" of the once independent Manipur Kingdom, it was the court language of the kingdom. Meitei was recognised by the National Sahitya Akademi, the highest Indian body of language and literature, as one of the major Indian languages in 1972.
The Meitei script (ꯃꯩꯇꯩ ꯃꯌꯦꯛ) or the Meetei script is an abugida used for the Meitei language, the official language of Manipur state of India. Its earliest known evidence of existence dates back to the 6th century AD coins, engraving the Meitei letters, as verified by the various publications of the National Sahitya Akademi. It was used until the 18th century, when it was replaced by the Bengali alphabet. A few manuscripts survive. In the 20th century, the script has experienced a resurgence, and is again being used. Starting from the year 2021, Meitei script was officially used by the Government of Manipur, along with the Bengali script, to write the Meitei language, as per "The Manipur Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2021".
Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, is a leading exponent, choreographer and a guru of Indian classical dance form of Manipuri, including the Pung cholom and Raslila. He was awarded with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1984 and the Padma Shri in 1986 for his contribution to the Manipuri dance. In the year 2011, Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's The National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama, awarded him with its highest award, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for his contribution to Indian Dance. In 2014 he was also conferred with the Tagore Award.
Meitei literature, also known as Manipuri literature, refers to the literature written in Meitei language, one of the official languages of the Government of India. An ancient institution of learning named the Luwang Nonghumsang, later known as the Pandit Loishang, collected the sources of indigenous Meitei knowledge and philosophy until the 18th century. The presence of writing among the Meiteis is assumed to go back to the Kangleipak state under king Loiyumba in the early 12th century. The Meitei script is a Brahmic abugida. It is known only from the Puya manuscripts discovered in the first half of the 20th century. Manuscripts of the 18th and 19th century used the Bengali alphabet. The existence of the Meitei script in the 15th-century hinges on the authenticity of an inscription dated to the reign of Senbi Kiyamba.
Darshana Jhaveri, the youngest of the four Jhaveri sisters, is a leading Indian exponent of Manipuri dance, an Indian classical dance form. She is a disciple of Guru Bipin Singh, and started performing on stage in 1958 along with her sisters. She is one of the founders of the Manipuri Nartanalaya in 1972, which popularized Manipuri dance in India, and is currently headed by her, with centres at Mumbai, Kolkata and Imphal.
Khwairakpam Chaoba Singh was a poet, essayist, prose-writer and novelist. He was influenced by Sanskrit tradition and is regarded as one of the best known writers of modern Meitei literature. He founded the Manipuri Sahitya Sammelini of Meitei literature along with Dr. Lamabam Kamal Singh, Hijam Irabot and Hijam Anganghal He adapted Thomas Gray's poem Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard into Meitei as Awaba ishei and included in his 1946 poem Thainagi Leirang, a poem which "laments the sad and poor life of country men who died unsung and unhonored".
Cheitharol Kumbaba, also spelled Cheithalon Kumpapa, is the court chronicle of the kings of Manipur. The oldest extant version was copied in the early 19th century, under Jai Singh, the puppet king installed after the Burmese invasion, as "the former copy was no more available". It is the main source for the list of pre-modern kings of Manipur, tracing the genealogy of the ruling Ningthouja dynasty back to a ruler named Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, said to have ruled for more than a century, from 33–154 CE. It is to the Meiteis what the Buranji is to the Assamese and the Yazawin to the Burmese.
Nara Singh also known as Chingthanglen Pamheiba and Meetingu Lairen Nonglen Sendreng Manik Khomba, was a ruler of the Kingdom of Manipur. He ruled first as regent from 1834 to 1844 and then as king for a period of six years from 1844 to 1850. His subjects called him ‘Eningthou Nungsiba’ or ‘our beloved king’.
Elam Endira Devi, is an Indian classical dancer and teacher, known for her expertise and scholarship in the classical dance form of Manipuri, especially in the genres of Lai Haraoba and Raas. The Government of India honored her, in 2014, with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for her services to the field of art and culture.
Khangembam Mangi Singh, popularly known as Guru Pena Mangi, was an Indian musician, known for his expertise on the Manipuri traditional musical instrument Pena. The Government of India honored him in 2011, with the fourth highest civilian award of Padma Shri.
Khumanthem Ningol Nameirakpam Ongbi Ibemni Devi is an Indian singer of traditional music, known for her expertise in the Khongjom Praba genre of Manipuri music. The Government of India honored Ibemni Devi in 2012, with the fourth highest civilian award of Padma Shri.
Haobam Ongbi Ngangbi Devi was an Indian classical dancer and musician, known for her expertise in the Manipuri Dance forms of Lai Haraoba and Raas. In 2010, the Government of India awarded Haobam Ongbi Ngangbi Devi the Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award.
Rajkumar Achouba Singh is an Indian classical dancer and teacher, known for his scholarship on the Manipuri dance forms of Raas and Lai Haraoba. Singh, who is credited several books and articles on Manipuri culture, is a former Principal of the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal. A holder of post graduate degrees in Raas and Lai Haraoba, he has also been a visiting teacher at the Government Dance College, Imphal. He was honored by the Government of India, in 2010, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri. He is also a recipient of the Manipur State Award.
Elangbam Nilakanta Singh (1927-2000) was an Indian poet and critic, considered by many as one of the pioneers of modern Meitei literature. A recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1987, Nilakanta Singh was honored by the Government of India, in 2000, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.
Sougaijam Thanil Singh is an Indian classical dancer, known for his proficiency in the classical dance forms of Manipuri and Nata Sankirtana. Born to S. Ksher Singh, a Manipuri dancer, in the Northeast Indian state of Manipur, he received his early training from his father as well as Guru Tombi Sharma, Guru Bhaigchandra Singh and Guru Koireng Singh. Later, he studied Manipuri dance and Nata Sankirtana, under Maisnam Amubi Singh, renowned dancer and Padma Shri awardee, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal, securing a diploma and a post graduate diploma, respectively, in the disciplines.
Yumlembam Gambhini Devi is an Indian singer of Nata Sankirtana and dancer of Manipuri Raas. She is a member of faculty at Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA) and a recipient of the 1988 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2005, for her contributions to Manipuri dance and music.
Thingbaijam Babu Singh was an Indian classical dancer, academic and choreographer of the Indian classical dance form of Manipuri. He was the Pradhan Guru of Pung and Raas traditions of Manipuri dance at the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Born on 8 February 1936 at Lairensajik, a small village in the state of Manipur, he was known to have been one of the notable choreographers and teachers of Manipuri dance and had a long line of renowned performers such as Elam Endira Devi, Ibemubi Devi, and Priti Patel, as his students. Singh was the author of a book, Meitei Punglon Raga Ahouba, and was a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for the year 1990. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2007, for his contributions to Manipuri dance.
Puya Meithaba refers to the annual commemoration of a legendary 18th-century scripture burning in post-colonial Manipur or to the original libricide in itself. Organised by the Meitei National Front since 1979, the event has been a critical tool in the spread of Meitei nationalism and has mainstreamed a particular reconstruction of history, which has come to be uncritically reproduced even in academic publications.
Yumjao Leima or Yumjao Lairembi or Yumjao Lairemma is the mother goddess of house, household, royalty, rule and power in Meitei mythology and religion. She is designated as the all time ruling Queen Mother. Legend says she assumes a human form in white clothes and blesses kings. She is one of the divine incarnations of Leimarel Sidabi.
Meitei Chanu is a Meitei language poem by Lamabam Kamal. It was first published in a magazine, with the same name, called Meitei Chanu (magazine) in the year 1924. It was republished in the author's book of his collection of poems called "Lei Pareng" in the year 1929. Its central theme is the reconfiguration of the identity of the Meitei people. The poem bountifully reflects the poet's love of his motherland and its heritage.
