Notable Passings: Maram Women

From Kanglaonline:

The Women Committee, United NGOs Mission-Manipur (UNM-M) has deeply mourned the sad demise of the two pioneering and remarkable women leaders of the state - Apei Hinga Karangnamei, Queen of Maram Khullen and C.Kipgen, Retired IAS Officer and first woman in the state to join the civil services.

A press release issued by the UNM-M, said Apei Hinga was the only female chieftain among the Naga tribes in the state. She was instrumental in bringing about various social changes in the Maram society, mostly in favour of women. In 1968, she banned the traditional practice of ‘M-Bong-Katai” under which a woman undergoing a difficult labour used to be taken out of the house and kept alone outside, lest her death would defile the whole house. In 1975, the Queen also gave consent to intermarriage among the different khel of the Marams besides encouraging early plantation.

C.Kipgen, as the foremost woman of the state to join the civil services had forged a path of honesty, integrity and dedication to her service with her unfailing sincerity and hard work. She remains an example of honest service in face of the corruption corroding our society today, it said.

The death of these two women has led to a big loss of two of the most important women in the history of the state. The UNM-M further expressed its grief over the demise of the women and said it stood by the families in this time of sorrow.