From August 11 with former Chief Secretary and now Administrator of Manipur University Jarnail Singh to September 29 with Chairman of FEEDS, Henbung Haokholet Kipgen as the chief guests, the focus on the youth continues. And so it was that conference hall II of Sangai Continental at MG Avenue was the destination of quite a large number of youngsters, all students, on September 29 too. The focus was obviously on the youngsters under the theme “Youth Conclave : Exploring a Better Future for Mankind” and it must have stirred many to put on their thinking caps and reflect on life and how one must go about living it. Life experience as enunciated by Haokholet Kipgen, whose life started from Henbung, schooled at Kangpokpi before moving out and facing the big world and overcoming official lethargy to script a rare success story would have inspired the youngsters who attentively listened and must have digested the gems from the man who has climbed the ladder of success. Focus, confidence, and working on one’s strength to go one up better than those physically better endowed with an analogy drawn from the game of basketball, from publisher of The Sangai Express Nishikant Singh Sapam would have necessarily given the right dose of encouragement to the young students to believe in themselves. Belief in oneself is but the first step for others to believe in you, was the core message that was delivered by Nishikant Singh Sapam and nothing could have been more appropriate to the youngsters of Manipur, faced as they are with so many daunting challenges in life.
Youth and they fall perfectly in line with the theme of exploring a better future for mankind and it was a delight to see the conference hall filled to capacity in only the second edition of the conclave. As in the first conclave, this time too, two resource persons who addressed the gathering chipped in with their observations on life and how to prepare for the challenges that life can throw on anyone. As the young IAS officer Pooja Elangbam put it, it is a pain to see the huge amount of food wasted at any public feast organised in Manipur. That her observation came just as the Tarpan offering period by the Meiteis drew to a close was significant. Food wastage is something which has been touched here in this column many times and if it is not Tarpan season, then look back at the days of Kang or Rath Jatra when all the khongbans in each leikai and leirak used to turn white with the left overs of rice, khichdri and other eatables. Why not offer tarpan utsav buffet style or organise it at homes of the aged was a suggestion the young IAS officer offered and this is food for thought. A line of thinking which needs to move out from the conference hall and put into practise. The call to be positive as sounded by Professor L Jibon Kumar Sharma is a point which should have an impact on the thought processes of not only the youngsters but mankind. A meaningful session it was and it is the objective of The Sangai Express to continue to engage with the youngsters who will one day inherit the earth.