Eternal flame of willpower Oja Madhumangol Sharma's timeless call against addiction
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Laimayum Bashanta Sharma
(Adapted from an audio recording of Swargiya Oja Madhumangol Sharma's public speech, on his death anniversary)
The world knows the perils of drugs—devastating health, shattered families, HIV/AIDS spread, and societal decay—yet addiction persists. In a simple yet transformative public address on psychotropic sub- stances, the late Shaheed Samurailatpam Madhu-mangol Sharma revealed the root : lack of willpower. Clean lifelong, never touching intoxicants, he shared a teenage memory from Khu-rai. Invited to a feast, he refused even a drop of alcohol. The inebriated host chased and threatened him, but he stood firm, proving resolve trumps pressure.
Source of Unshakable NO
Willpower decides : if you choose "no," it holds. But how to build it ? Madhumangol warned that ignoring consequences invites beatings, jail, ostra- cism, or overdose death. He drew from Mahatma Gandhi's youth : at 15, suffo- cated by parental rules against smoking and meat, Gandhi and a friend rebelliously chewed dhatura seeds for suicide but stopped after two or three, visited a Temple, and recommitted to discipline. Gandhi sought divine strength for lifelong abstinence, controlling urges without external force. Stringent laws like Thailand's deter temporarily, but inner resolve endures. Ma-dhumangol cited an HIV- positive man, facing death in 10 years, who turned counsellor to save youth—proving purpose outlives regret.
Manipur's Hidden Threat
Madhumangol raised grave concern : Manipur's small population faces systematic annihilation via narcotics, with notorious Moreh as Asia's drug gateway near the Golden Triangle. He decried this as an international conspiracy undermining Manipuri youth amid porous Indo-Myanmar borders—predic- tions that tragically came true long after he left us. Record seizures later underscored his foresight: eg, 250 kg heroin (2019), 150 kg opium (2015), and Rs 500 crore heroin/meth (2021) in Moreh alone; Statewide, Rs 142 crore worth drugs seized with 764 arrests by recent years.
Poppy cultivation surged in hills like Tengnoupal, fuelling heroin labs, despite 60% decline via "War on Drugs 2.0" (2021-2024). Drug addiction grips youth, driving rampant overdose deaths and HIV—Manipur's 0.24% population holds ~8% of India's cases, with 19.8% injectors HIV-positive; Churachandpur leads abusers.
Call to Action and Sadhana : Punishments are quick fixes; true change demands thought: think twice before speaking, thrice before acting. Words and deeds echo eternally—value your presence beyond ego. If young Gandhi rose through "NO" to cigarettes, why not Manipuri youth ? Democracy urges self-reflection, not police or civil society's intervention.
Madhumangol celebrated innate talents : Madhuman-gol addressed the gathering, highlighting that Manipuris possess innate talents that emerge naturally, despite the absence of proper facilities, financial resources, or adequate nutrition. A prime example is the legendary Mr Maipak, who, notwithstanding extreme poverty, represented Manipur and secured the first runner-up title of Mr India. Although the accuracy of this claim is unsubstantiated, it is widely believed that Mr Maipak's diet consisted of green mustard leaves (Hangam), coriander (Phadigom), and Maroi Nakuppi (Allium tu-berosum or Allium odo- rosum). Noted athletes like N Kunjarani Devi, who rose to become the world's second-ranked women's weightlifter in her weight category, exemplify this phenomenon. Despite facing poverty, she endured rigorous training, running 11 km daily without access to proper facilities. Madhu-mangol expressed concern that Manipur's small population may be vulnerable to systematic annihilation through the proliferation of narcotics as mentioned earlier.
Personal Resolve
I have upheld a lifelong commitment to avoiding banned psychotropic substances and tobacco entirely. While occasional social drinking occurred on rare instances annually, I have further reduced it to pursue a life nearly free of artificial dopamine surges. No perfect model myself, I affirm with conviction: true fulfillment lies beyond unnatural highs from addictive crutches. May this inspire those fighting addiction, uplift rehabilitating souls, and embolden survivors of needle-borne diseases—now counseling others—to persist in redemption.
Shaheed Oja Madhu-mangol Sharma's flame endures—may it ignite Ma-nipur's youth to say NO, build, and thrive.
The writer is spokesperson, BJP, Manipur Pradesh
(Adapted from an audio recording of Swargiya Oja Madhumangol Sharma's public speech, on his death anniversary)
The world knows the perils of drugs—devastating health, shattered families, HIV/AIDS spread, and societal decay—yet addiction persists. In a simple yet transformative public address on psychotropic sub- stances, the late Shaheed Samurailatpam Madhu-mangol Sharma revealed the root : lack of willpower. Clean lifelong, never touching intoxicants, he shared a teenage memory from Khu-rai. Invited to a feast, he refused even a drop of alcohol. The inebriated host chased and threatened him, but he stood firm, proving resolve trumps pressure.
Source of Unshakable NO
Willpower decides : if you choose "no," it holds. But how to build it ? Madhumangol warned that ignoring consequences invites beatings, jail, ostra- cism, or overdose death. He drew from Mahatma Gandhi's youth : at 15, suffo- cated by parental rules against smoking and meat, Gandhi and a friend rebelliously chewed dhatura seeds for suicide but stopped after two or three, visited a Temple, and recommitted to discipline. Gandhi sought divine strength for lifelong abstinence, controlling urges without external force. Stringent laws like Thailand's deter temporarily, but inner resolve endures. Ma-dhumangol cited an HIV- positive man, facing death in 10 years, who turned counsellor to save youth—proving purpose outlives regret.
Manipur's Hidden Threat
Madhumangol raised grave concern : Manipur's small population faces systematic annihilation via narcotics, with notorious Moreh as Asia's drug gateway near the Golden Triangle. He decried this as an international conspiracy undermining Manipuri youth amid porous Indo-Myanmar borders—predic- tions that tragically came true long after he left us. Record seizures later underscored his foresight: eg, 250 kg heroin (2019), 150 kg opium (2015), and Rs 500 crore heroin/meth (2021) in Moreh alone; Statewide, Rs 142 crore worth drugs seized with 764 arrests by recent years.
Poppy cultivation surged in hills like Tengnoupal, fuelling heroin labs, despite 60% decline via "War on Drugs 2.0" (2021-2024). Drug addiction grips youth, driving rampant overdose deaths and HIV—Manipur's 0.24% population holds ~8% of India's cases, with 19.8% injectors HIV-positive; Churachandpur leads abusers.
Call to Action and Sadhana : Punishments are quick fixes; true change demands thought: think twice before speaking, thrice before acting. Words and deeds echo eternally—value your presence beyond ego. If young Gandhi rose through "NO" to cigarettes, why not Manipuri youth ? Democracy urges self-reflection, not police or civil society's intervention.
Madhumangol celebrated innate talents : Madhuman-gol addressed the gathering, highlighting that Manipuris possess innate talents that emerge naturally, despite the absence of proper facilities, financial resources, or adequate nutrition. A prime example is the legendary Mr Maipak, who, notwithstanding extreme poverty, represented Manipur and secured the first runner-up title of Mr India. Although the accuracy of this claim is unsubstantiated, it is widely believed that Mr Maipak's diet consisted of green mustard leaves (Hangam), coriander (Phadigom), and Maroi Nakuppi (Allium tu-berosum or Allium odo- rosum). Noted athletes like N Kunjarani Devi, who rose to become the world's second-ranked women's weightlifter in her weight category, exemplify this phenomenon. Despite facing poverty, she endured rigorous training, running 11 km daily without access to proper facilities. Madhu-mangol expressed concern that Manipur's small population may be vulnerable to systematic annihilation through the proliferation of narcotics as mentioned earlier.
Personal Resolve
I have upheld a lifelong commitment to avoiding banned psychotropic substances and tobacco entirely. While occasional social drinking occurred on rare instances annually, I have further reduced it to pursue a life nearly free of artificial dopamine surges. No perfect model myself, I affirm with conviction: true fulfillment lies beyond unnatural highs from addictive crutches. May this inspire those fighting addiction, uplift rehabilitating souls, and embolden survivors of needle-borne diseases—now counseling others—to persist in redemption.
Shaheed Oja Madhu-mangol Sharma's flame endures—may it ignite Ma-nipur's youth to say NO, build, and thrive.
The writer is spokesperson, BJP, Manipur Pradesh