General Articles

Beyond Ethnicity: Rethinking the roots of Manipur’s ethnic conflicts

Rabikan KshetrimayumThe unfortunate violent clash on 7th February ’26 between Kuki and Tangkhul Naga communities in Litan Sareikhong village, Ukhrul district once again remind us that the mainstream narrative surrounding Meitei-Kuki conflicts requir..

In loving memory of Prof Nongmaithem Tombi Singh (First Death Anniversary 12th March 2026)

Dr Anuradha NongmaithemToday, 12th March 2026 marks the first death anniversary of late Prof Nongmaithem Tombi Singh. As per the Manipuri calendar, the death anniversary falls on 1st March 2026 (Lamta gi tarahumdoini panba) and accordingly Phiroy was cond..

Which is best treatment for stage 5 CKD : Dialysis or Kidney Transplant

Dr Sanjeev GulatiWorld Kidney Day is an annual global campaign dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of kidney health and reducing the burden of kidney disease worldwide. It is being celebrated on 12th March this year. Chronic Kidney Disease..

Losii Dikho as Deputy CM : A responsibility well mastered

Sani BoscoContd from previous issueOn 9th February, despite huge security concerns due to volatile law and order situation, Losii Dikho travelled to Litan by road with minimum security escorts to meet the people. Amidst blazing guns and whizzing bullets p..

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

SHOBHA SHUKLAContd from previous issueI think I would also like to use other mechanisms, for example, treaty bodies are other mechanisms which human rights defenders can use to hold their governments accountable. Special procedures have proven to be a use..

Civilian harm in Iran and the test of International law

Dipak KurmiThey must have had nicknames whispered by parents and teachers, favourite foods that made them smile after a long day at school, and songs they hummed imperfectly without ever remembering all the words. They must have been put to sleep with lul..

The secrets of success

Kongbrailatpam Rajeshwar SharmaAfter seeing the fanfare of marriages in Imphal this year, I wonder whether it is a show of success or just a cultural ritual. Perhaps it is one of the respites that punctuate the incidents of violence. Despite violence and..

Losii Dikho as Deputy CM : A responsibility well mastered

Sani BoscoFor a former Entrepreneur now elected member representing 48-Mao Assembly Constituency for the third consecutive term, the journey has been a roller coaster ride for newly sworn in Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho. A journey completing its 15th..

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

SHOBHA SHUKLAContd from previous issue"Sunshine, a Netflix film for which PINSAN was also consulted in initial stages stars a Filipino actress tells the story of a young girl who sought an abortion clandestinely. While emphasising power and choice, it ope..

Boong: India’s first BAFTA in children’s cinema and why it matters

M Biswanath SinhaWhen Aribam Syam Sharma made Imagi Ningthem and later Ishanou, he proved that cinema from Manipur could travel far beyond the state’s borders. His films were deeply local in flavour, yet universal in feeling. They introduced global..

Cancer Mukt Manipur : Igniting unity, technology, and hope for a cancer-free tomorrow

Dr Vaibhav R DeogirkarIn Manipur's resilient heart, where Nupi Lan women once rose against tyranny, a quieter revolution now battles a silent assassin : cancer. To the kind-hearted, hospitable people of Manipur—your overwhelming embrace of our recen..

Indigenous queerness in Shumang Kumhei

Rashmi ElangbamThe state of Manipur has embraced all forms of art and music, dance and culture over the centuries with its set of traditions and customs unique not only in the Northeast but all over India, one of which being the Shumang Kumhei/Leela, a fo..

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

SHOBHA SHUKLAContd from previous issueUPR enables us to monitor the commitments related to maternal health and other sexual and reproductive health and rights which are made and accepted by a government, what laws, policies or strategies have been adopted..

Singju under siege : When instant noodles invade a sacred Manipuri dish

Keisam PradipkumarThe quiet transformation of Manipur’s most iconic herbal salad reveals a deeper struggle between traditional food wisdom and the rising tide of packaged noodle culture.In the markets of Manipur, the aroma of freshly mixed Singju on..

Portfolio allocation and good governance

Dr H Hemchandra Singh Primary objective of a popular Govt. is to serve the people through a series of welfare schemes for improvement of their socio- economic status and standard of living etc. Perfor- mance of a Govt. depends on various factors like poli..

Unpaved and broken : Potholes and dusty roads of Manipur

Nicholas KhundrakpamAs one travels across North East India, marked disparities in road infrastructure become increasingly evident. Among the States, Manipur regrettably stands out not for efficient connectivity or well-maintained transport networks, but f..

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

SHOBHA SHUKLAContd from last TuesdayHigh maternal mortality reflects systemic failures, limited access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, workforce shortages, lack of safe abortions and discrimination. Women who are poor, rural, young or margin..

After Khamenei : Charting Iran’s future and global implications

Dipak KurmiThe dramatic killing of Ali Khamenei, reportedly confirmed by both Iranian state media and Donald Trump, marks one of the most consequential turning points in the history of the Islamic Republic. Coming within hours of coordinated US and Israel..

The genesis of crisis and a healthy society

Boro LaipubamInformation is the fundamental requirement for ecosystem balance and survival. The exchange of information enables understanding of nature from plants and animals to humans, microorganisms, and even technological systems. Every living and art..

Unravelling the knot : Reclaiming Thaksi-Khasi

Dr Abul Khair Choudhury (Moijing Mayum)Contd from previous issueThe meal follows a precise scientific order: it begins with Champhut (bland boiled vegetables) to act as a palate cleanser, moves to lentils and spicy dishes, and strictly concludes with a sw..

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

SHOBHA SHUKLAContd from last SaturdayUPR transforms advocacy from moral appeals to evidence-based accountabilityDr Kamowa of CeHDI shared that recommendations related to right to health have increased overtime when we compare four UPR cycles so far. More..

Trace fossils and palaeo-environment of depositional basin of Laisong rocks and its significances

Professor RK Hemanta SinghWhat are Trace Fossils?Trace Fossils, also known as Ichnofossils are structures developed in se-diments (sedimentary rocks) by activities of organisms which lived in the past. They provide direct/indirect evidences of life in the..

Unravelling the knot : Reclaiming Thaksi-Khasi

Dr Abul Khair Choudhury (Moijing Mayum)If one were to take the pulse of contemporary Meitei society today, the reading would likely be erratic—a rhythm defined by high anxiety, reactive outbursts, and a profound, lingering sense of disorientation. A..

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

SHOBHA SHUKLAContd from last Saturday“It is the governments who are accountable for implementation of these recommendations that are made (including budgeting for implementation). Public institutions must deliver services on the recommendations that..

Our lives, their prejudices

Biros LeishangthemI am deeply perturbed by the racial abuse that happened in Delhi. It is something many of us from the Northeast silently carry within us the moment we step outside of our homeland. Sometimes the hostility begins right from the airport or..

CM meeting PM

Free ThinkerIt is not that easy to get an appointment with the Prime Minister of India. Even for a courtesy call on a meeting - many things are taken into consideration. Khemchand ji meeting the PM along with his two deputies is a very good omen. It seems..

Boong’s global breakthrough

Dipak KurmiIn a moment of rare cinematic triumph for India’s Northeast, the quirky Manipuri coming-of-age comedy-drama Boong has secured international acclaim by winning the prestigious BAFTA Award for Best Children’s & Family Film in Lond..

RSS Hindu Samelan : A catalyst for National unity and social harmony

Binanda KhundrakpamContd from prev issue those connected to Bharat’s heritage. The statement “Every person living in Bharat is a Hindu” is thus presented not as a sectarian definition, but as an expression of shared ancestry, cultural un..

Boong : The child who carried Manipur to BAFTA Beyond applause - the deeper story of a society that negotiates identity through art

Dr Raj SinghFrom Cannes to BAFTA, from documentary realism to children’s cinema, Manipuri filmmakers have persistently translated social turbulence into aesthetic expression - proving that even with a minuscule market, a society can assert itself th..

Delimitation : Draw the lines on land, not on people

Dr Rajkumar Ranjan SinghThe ‘delimitation’ debate begins in Manipur; here is a fact that tends to get lost in the argument. The Constituency boundaries of the State have not changed since 1973. When Manipur’s current Assembly map was dra..

RSS Hindu Samelan : A catalyst for National unity and social harmony

Binanda KhundrakpamThe Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was founded in 1925 by the Pujaniya Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar with the objective of serving the nation and society. Today, the organization is completing a historic journey of 100 years. This cent..

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

SHOBHA SHUKLAContd from previous issueUPR links global obligations to national policy, budgets and service delivery“UPR links human rights obligations at the global level to national policy and budgets, and to service delivery. UPR is timebound as t..

China’s ‘Military Purge’ is a mirage and the world is falling for it

Wangba Senjam Every few years, headlines emerge claiming that China’s military leadership is in turmoil. Generals disappear from public view. Investigations are announced, usually without offering convincing details. Self-styled China experts and an..

Holi skin and hair care tips

Shahnaz HusainHoli Hai !! The vibrant festival of colors of happiness is just around the corner. Barely a few days are left before you head to play joyfully and get soaked in colour game. The Holi fever has set it and it is the tim..

From Panini to the AI stack Delhi’s AI moment and the logic of National capability

Hardeep S PuriContd from previous issueEnsuring that this investment becomes long-term structural advantage is the purpose of the Union Budget for 2026-27, which extends a tax holiday until 2047 for foreign companies using Indian data centres for global c..

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

SHOBHA SHUKLAContd from previous issueAll the commitments that are in the Universal Periodic Review are public, which means that the public have access to those recommendations. So that makes it easier to hold the governments accountable for the commitmen..

From Panini to the AI stack Delhi’s AI moment and the logic of National capability

Hardeep S PuriWhen Panini reduced the chaos of spoken language into a compact, computable grammar, he proved something that still holds: intelligence is most powerful when it is expressed as structure. Nalanda took that instinct into institutions, buildin..

Few thoughts on recruitment of Asst Profs

Khelsoril WanbeThe notification for recruitment of 419 Assistant Professors of Government colleges in Manipur comes after a long gap of about eight years since the last Court case-disrupted recruitment process that spanned roughly between 2014 and 2017. M..

When sweet becomes too sweet : Rethinking sugar habits

Dalsie GangmeiIn many homes and schools across the world including Manipur, sweets have become woven into daily life. Birthdays mean cakes and chocolates. Good grades earn candy. A tough day is softened with something sugary. For busy parents and teachers..

Charles Darwin : Naturalist and father of evolution

Dr N Munal MeiteiContd from previous issueFor example, people living in tropical countries have more melanin in their body to guard them from the daylight. Darwin came about Reverend Thomas Malthus’ work on population in 1838, which states that with..

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

SHOBHA SHUKLAContd from previous issueSHE & Rights was together organised by Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI), Women Deliver Conference 2026, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Asian-Pacific Resource and Resear..

What lies ahead for digitally dependent adolescents in Manipur

Tina Naorem Across India, mobile phone usage among adolescents has increased drama- tically in the last decade. As per report of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) 2025, among young adults (15–29 years), nearly 97.6% in..

Korean Literature Festival 2026 : Is Imphal ready for it ?

Satish MeeteiHave you heard of Hallyu, Arirang, The Classic, or BTS ? The younger generation certainly knows BTS. But what we are witnessing today is not a sudden trend-it is the culmination of a cultural process that has, over the last two decades, quiet..

Charles Darwin : Naturalist and father of evolution

Dr N Munal Meitei"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change." - Charles DarwinDarwin Day is celebrated on the birthday of Charles Darwin on 12 February 1809..

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

SHOBHA SHUKLAContd from previous issueFirst such review of all UN member States took place between 2008-2011, then 2012-2016, followed by a third one during 2017-2022, and now the fourth cycle is going on currently 2022-2027,” added Dr Kamowa. ̶..

The Lost Paradise

Samson Kamson This article reconstructs the historical trajectory of the Zeliangrong people from their ancestral origin at Makuilongdi to their lost southern settlements in Manipur. It critically examines how patterns of migration, Kuki incursions, coloni..

Not just delivery boys : The rise of gig economy in Manipur

Nongthombam SylvestineEvery day, we order food, book cabs, hire tutors, or follow local creators online. Most of us don't realize we're witnessing the rise of a new economic system—the Gig Economy. Although the term may seem unfamiliar, its influenc..

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

SHOBHA SHUKLAAccountability is critical when it comes to ensuring that promises made by the governments translate into ground realities “where no one is left behind.” Without robust accountability mechanisms, we risk failing on goals and targe..

Journey beyond fear: My visit to Manipur

N PidenoThe day my husband received a call from Manipur for duty, I felt a deep sense of apprehension. In recent years, the news from the State has often been troubling, reports of communal clashes, villages burned and reduced to ashes, and schools and co..

That dog is Aloka : A walk for peace and a gentle appeal to Manipur

Sanjoo ThangjamThat dog is Aloka. Not a symbol manufactured for attention, not a mascot trained for spectacle but a once homeless Indian stray who chose to walk beside Buddhist monks on a 108 day Walk for Peace covering nearly 2,300 miles across the Unite..