The formative role of the Meitei Pangals in.... Manipur’s struggle for integrity under the leadership of Hijam Irawat
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Dr Raheijuddin Sheikh (Shamu)
On 30th November 2025, the 78th anniversary of the historic Jukta Front was solemnly observed at the Manipur Dramatic Union (MDU) Hall in Yaiskul, Imphal—the very venue where, in 1947, the visionary leader Jnaneta Hijam Irawat forged a crucial political coalition. My participation as a special invitee, tasked with reciting one of Irawat’s poems, became a moment of profound personal and historical reflection. The poem, “Marupki damak Tengthaba” (Mourn for a Friend), was no stranger to me; I had first presented it in 2014 at a student-organized Irawat Day. That event, where food-processing students prepared indigenous snacks from produce supplied by self-help groups from Senapati’s remote hills, was a living embodiment of Irawat’s ideals—showcasing how skill development and entrepreneurship could foster unity and prosperity between hill and valley. This same spirit of inclusive solidarity defined Irawat’s political legacy, a legacy in which the Meitei Pangal (Manipuri Muslim) community played an integral, though often understated, role.
The period surrounding Manipur’s independence from British rule in 1947 was marked by formidable challenges to its territorial integrity. Influenced by colonial policies, a significant movement emerged among hill leaders, culminating in a gathering of around 400 representatives at Keishampat in September 1947. Their demand: to bifurcate the hill areas from the valley and form a separate Union Territory. Perceiving the grave threat this posed to Manipur’s unity, Irawat moved decisively. On 30th November 1947, he convened a meeting at the MDU Hall with leaders of both hill and valley organizations. The outcome was the dissolution of the separatist Hills Union and the birth of the Jukta Front (United Front)—a ten-member body consciously designed to represent Manipur’s diverse ethno-geographical tapestry. Irawat became its President, while MK Shimray, former Vice Chairman of the Hills Union, was appointed Secretary. Significantly, Muhammad Sulei Miya was included as the representative of the Meitei-Pangal community, establishing from the outset Irawat’s commitment to an inclusive polity.
The Jukta Front comprised of the following 10 members: Hijam Irawat–President (Praja Sangh), MK Shimray–Vice President (Tangkhul Long), Lune – Member (Kuki National Assembly), Kakhangai – Member (Kabui Association), Jena – Member (Mizou Union), Lamphel – Member (Meitei Marup), Teba – Member (Khulmi Union), Ibomcha (Krishak Sabha), M Ibungohal (Nongpok Apunba Marup), Muhammad Sulei Miya – Member (Meitei-Pangal)
Even as internal fissures were being mended, external pressures mounted. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s Home Minister, proposed a ‘Purvanchal Pradesh,’ merging Manipur with Cachar, Tripura, and the Lushai Hills. Concurrently, the Naga National Council (NNC) under Angami Zapu Phizo agitated for a ‘Greater Nagaland,’ seeking to detach Naga-inhabited hills from Manipur. Irawat, a staunch advocate for a responsible, democratic Government under the Maharaja as a Constitutional head, opposed both these designs vehemently. He envisioned an independent Manipur with a relationship to India akin to that of a Soviet Republic within the USSR.
To consolidate this vision, Irawat organized another pivotal meeting on 14th Dec 1947. Chaired by Moulana Rahimuddin of Thoubal Moijing, this assembly of parties including the Praja Sangha, Krishak Sabha, and the Muslim Anjuman, demanded a full responsible Govt and resolved to protect Manipur’s territorial integrity. It also resolved to send a goodwill mission to the NNC. From this meeting emerged the United Front of Manipur, with Irawat as President and Moulana Rahimuddin as Vice-President. The elevation of the respected Islamic scholar and social leader to such a high position was a powerful testament to Irawat’s pluralistic approach.
The United Front of Manipur comprises of the following 13 members : Kanhai Singh-Manipur Praja Sungha, Ibotombi Singh-Manipur Praja Sungha, Amul Lung Singh - Manipur Praja Sungha, Shri Irawat Singh - Manipur Krishak Sabha, Shri Ibomcha Singh - Manipur Krishak Sabha, Shri Sham Singh - Manipur Krishak Sabha, Shri Bikul Singh - Meetei Marup, Shri Lamphel Singh-Meetei Marup, Shri Babu Singh -Meetei Marup, Shri M Ibohal Singh-Nongpok Apunba Marup, Shri N Babudhon Singh - Nongpok Apunba Marup, Shri Th Tombi Singh- Nongpok Apunba Marup, Moulana Rahimuddin-Muslim An- jumn
The stories of these two Meitei Pangal associates illuminate the depth of this cross-community alliance.
1) Moulana Rahimuddin (1890-1975), a distinguished scholar educated at Deoband, was not merely a religious figure but a committed social activist. His chairmanship of the decisive 14th Dec meeting and his firm stand against the Purvanchal Pradesh proposal positioned him at the heart of the political struggle. Though unsuccessful in the 1948 general election, his legacy endures, notably through the Madrassa Rahi-mia established in his memory.
2) Muhammad Sulei Miya of Yairipok, affectionately known as Sulei Khuttat for an arm lost in a sugarcane machine, was a brave and trusted confidant of Irawat. My own interest in him was sparked decades ago by stories from the late Oja Sagolsem Indramani, a fellow patriot. Recent inquiries led me to Sulei Miya’s grandson, Md Jalalluddin. From him, I learned that Sulei Miya’s homestead, dense with sugarcane, served as a secret meeting ground for Irawat. He was often accompanied by Laishram Mera, a Meitei from Kei-sham, and the revered ‘Kwasu Moulana’ Ahmad Ali Peer, a martial arts adept and religious guide whose counsel Irawat valued. Their nocturnal journeys through dangerous jungle routes from Yairipok to Lamlai underscore the risks they shared in their common cause.
Irawat’s Tribute to Muhammad Jahoor Ali : Perhaps the most poignant evidence of Irawat’s heartfelt bond with the Meitei Pangal community is his elegiac poem, “Marupki damak Tengthaba,” dedicated to Muhammad Jahoor Ali. A bright young student at Rippon College, Calcutta, and brother-in-law to Moulana Rahimuddin, Jahoor Ali died tragically in 1942. Irawat’s published lament for this “young patriot” who “loved mother Manipur as his own mother” is strikingly unique. Historians note that Irawat did not write similar poetic obituaries for Meitei contemporaries. This singular tribute breaks through communal barriers, expressing a pure, human grief and solidarity that stands as a powerful rebuke to the sectarian impulses sometimes seen today. A few lines from the poem is reproduced herewith : Paima Loushing Chaoba, Thou-nana Maang-oinaba, Meitei Pangallakta Ningthiba, Yusuf Munshi Mapari, Muhammad Jahoor Ali, Mareibakki Wakhanba, Ma-heitamba Khoijangba, Marup Mapangda Wa-khangba, Palem Nungsibi Shetna, Panthou Nungsiba Kaina, Mahei Tange Chatkhiba, Calicutta Ma-pungyaida, Rippon College gi, Youkhre Ahumsuba Chahi, Punshi Ichel Tenbana, Ningba Kongai Thungdana, Nongdambagi Nongdamna, 1942 Ing Kumja, Nov 3 nichabada, Pangal Pamen-dashatpa, Leirang Pomsat- naramba, Kenkhre Khanuthakta,….
Reciting that same poem at the 78th-anniversary observance was a heavy reminder of Irawat’s expansive humanity. He was a leader who worked tirelessly for the emotional and territorial integrity of Manipur, not through majoritarian dominance but through the purposeful inclusion of all commu- nities—hill and valley, Hindu and Muslim. His strategic alliances with figures like Moulana Rahimu- ddin and Muha-mmad Sulei Miya were not incidental but fundamental to his vision of a united front.
As we remember Hijam Irawat, who breathed his last in the distant Kabaw Valley in 1951, we must ask ourselves: Did we, the people of all communities for whom he fought, ever mourn him with the same depth of feeling he showed for a young Pangal brother ? His legacy is a puzzle and a challenge to present-day Manipur—a call to look beyond narrow identities and reclaim the collective, inclusive patriotism he embo- died. He was, in the truest sense, a leader of mankind.
On 30th November 2025, the 78th anniversary of the historic Jukta Front was solemnly observed at the Manipur Dramatic Union (MDU) Hall in Yaiskul, Imphal—the very venue where, in 1947, the visionary leader Jnaneta Hijam Irawat forged a crucial political coalition. My participation as a special invitee, tasked with reciting one of Irawat’s poems, became a moment of profound personal and historical reflection. The poem, “Marupki damak Tengthaba” (Mourn for a Friend), was no stranger to me; I had first presented it in 2014 at a student-organized Irawat Day. That event, where food-processing students prepared indigenous snacks from produce supplied by self-help groups from Senapati’s remote hills, was a living embodiment of Irawat’s ideals—showcasing how skill development and entrepreneurship could foster unity and prosperity between hill and valley. This same spirit of inclusive solidarity defined Irawat’s political legacy, a legacy in which the Meitei Pangal (Manipuri Muslim) community played an integral, though often understated, role.
The period surrounding Manipur’s independence from British rule in 1947 was marked by formidable challenges to its territorial integrity. Influenced by colonial policies, a significant movement emerged among hill leaders, culminating in a gathering of around 400 representatives at Keishampat in September 1947. Their demand: to bifurcate the hill areas from the valley and form a separate Union Territory. Perceiving the grave threat this posed to Manipur’s unity, Irawat moved decisively. On 30th November 1947, he convened a meeting at the MDU Hall with leaders of both hill and valley organizations. The outcome was the dissolution of the separatist Hills Union and the birth of the Jukta Front (United Front)—a ten-member body consciously designed to represent Manipur’s diverse ethno-geographical tapestry. Irawat became its President, while MK Shimray, former Vice Chairman of the Hills Union, was appointed Secretary. Significantly, Muhammad Sulei Miya was included as the representative of the Meitei-Pangal community, establishing from the outset Irawat’s commitment to an inclusive polity.
The Jukta Front comprised of the following 10 members: Hijam Irawat–President (Praja Sangh), MK Shimray–Vice President (Tangkhul Long), Lune – Member (Kuki National Assembly), Kakhangai – Member (Kabui Association), Jena – Member (Mizou Union), Lamphel – Member (Meitei Marup), Teba – Member (Khulmi Union), Ibomcha (Krishak Sabha), M Ibungohal (Nongpok Apunba Marup), Muhammad Sulei Miya – Member (Meitei-Pangal)
Even as internal fissures were being mended, external pressures mounted. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s Home Minister, proposed a ‘Purvanchal Pradesh,’ merging Manipur with Cachar, Tripura, and the Lushai Hills. Concurrently, the Naga National Council (NNC) under Angami Zapu Phizo agitated for a ‘Greater Nagaland,’ seeking to detach Naga-inhabited hills from Manipur. Irawat, a staunch advocate for a responsible, democratic Government under the Maharaja as a Constitutional head, opposed both these designs vehemently. He envisioned an independent Manipur with a relationship to India akin to that of a Soviet Republic within the USSR.
To consolidate this vision, Irawat organized another pivotal meeting on 14th Dec 1947. Chaired by Moulana Rahimuddin of Thoubal Moijing, this assembly of parties including the Praja Sangha, Krishak Sabha, and the Muslim Anjuman, demanded a full responsible Govt and resolved to protect Manipur’s territorial integrity. It also resolved to send a goodwill mission to the NNC. From this meeting emerged the United Front of Manipur, with Irawat as President and Moulana Rahimuddin as Vice-President. The elevation of the respected Islamic scholar and social leader to such a high position was a powerful testament to Irawat’s pluralistic approach.
The United Front of Manipur comprises of the following 13 members : Kanhai Singh-Manipur Praja Sungha, Ibotombi Singh-Manipur Praja Sungha, Amul Lung Singh - Manipur Praja Sungha, Shri Irawat Singh - Manipur Krishak Sabha, Shri Ibomcha Singh - Manipur Krishak Sabha, Shri Sham Singh - Manipur Krishak Sabha, Shri Bikul Singh - Meetei Marup, Shri Lamphel Singh-Meetei Marup, Shri Babu Singh -Meetei Marup, Shri M Ibohal Singh-Nongpok Apunba Marup, Shri N Babudhon Singh - Nongpok Apunba Marup, Shri Th Tombi Singh- Nongpok Apunba Marup, Moulana Rahimuddin-Muslim An- jumn
The stories of these two Meitei Pangal associates illuminate the depth of this cross-community alliance.
1) Moulana Rahimuddin (1890-1975), a distinguished scholar educated at Deoband, was not merely a religious figure but a committed social activist. His chairmanship of the decisive 14th Dec meeting and his firm stand against the Purvanchal Pradesh proposal positioned him at the heart of the political struggle. Though unsuccessful in the 1948 general election, his legacy endures, notably through the Madrassa Rahi-mia established in his memory.
2) Muhammad Sulei Miya of Yairipok, affectionately known as Sulei Khuttat for an arm lost in a sugarcane machine, was a brave and trusted confidant of Irawat. My own interest in him was sparked decades ago by stories from the late Oja Sagolsem Indramani, a fellow patriot. Recent inquiries led me to Sulei Miya’s grandson, Md Jalalluddin. From him, I learned that Sulei Miya’s homestead, dense with sugarcane, served as a secret meeting ground for Irawat. He was often accompanied by Laishram Mera, a Meitei from Kei-sham, and the revered ‘Kwasu Moulana’ Ahmad Ali Peer, a martial arts adept and religious guide whose counsel Irawat valued. Their nocturnal journeys through dangerous jungle routes from Yairipok to Lamlai underscore the risks they shared in their common cause.
Irawat’s Tribute to Muhammad Jahoor Ali : Perhaps the most poignant evidence of Irawat’s heartfelt bond with the Meitei Pangal community is his elegiac poem, “Marupki damak Tengthaba,” dedicated to Muhammad Jahoor Ali. A bright young student at Rippon College, Calcutta, and brother-in-law to Moulana Rahimuddin, Jahoor Ali died tragically in 1942. Irawat’s published lament for this “young patriot” who “loved mother Manipur as his own mother” is strikingly unique. Historians note that Irawat did not write similar poetic obituaries for Meitei contemporaries. This singular tribute breaks through communal barriers, expressing a pure, human grief and solidarity that stands as a powerful rebuke to the sectarian impulses sometimes seen today. A few lines from the poem is reproduced herewith : Paima Loushing Chaoba, Thou-nana Maang-oinaba, Meitei Pangallakta Ningthiba, Yusuf Munshi Mapari, Muhammad Jahoor Ali, Mareibakki Wakhanba, Ma-heitamba Khoijangba, Marup Mapangda Wa-khangba, Palem Nungsibi Shetna, Panthou Nungsiba Kaina, Mahei Tange Chatkhiba, Calicutta Ma-pungyaida, Rippon College gi, Youkhre Ahumsuba Chahi, Punshi Ichel Tenbana, Ningba Kongai Thungdana, Nongdambagi Nongdamna, 1942 Ing Kumja, Nov 3 nichabada, Pangal Pamen-dashatpa, Leirang Pomsat- naramba, Kenkhre Khanuthakta,….
Reciting that same poem at the 78th-anniversary observance was a heavy reminder of Irawat’s expansive humanity. He was a leader who worked tirelessly for the emotional and territorial integrity of Manipur, not through majoritarian dominance but through the purposeful inclusion of all commu- nities—hill and valley, Hindu and Muslim. His strategic alliances with figures like Moulana Rahimu- ddin and Muha-mmad Sulei Miya were not incidental but fundamental to his vision of a united front.
As we remember Hijam Irawat, who breathed his last in the distant Kabaw Valley in 1951, we must ask ourselves: Did we, the people of all communities for whom he fought, ever mourn him with the same depth of feeling he showed for a young Pangal brother ? His legacy is a puzzle and a challenge to present-day Manipur—a call to look beyond narrow identities and reclaim the collective, inclusive patriotism he embo- died. He was, in the truest sense, a leader of mankind.