Temjen Pongen~ Living Life to the Fullest

He calls himself a ‘traveller’, whose one goal in life remains living it to the fullest. Temjen Pongen has certainly found freedom after years

 of being blinded by addiction and enduring its brutality for almost a decade.
Being the only son in the family did not change the fact that his tender years are smeared by realities of drug and alcohol addiction. As he traverses back to this bitter journey, he recalls being introduced to RP Pill when he was in class V.
“I was part of the school football team, and because this drug induces stamina, I fell for it,” Temjen confesses.
Following this instance, he became a regular drug user and an alcohol addict, literally without hope of recovery. By the time, he reached standard VII, he gave up school and studies altogether. But deep within, he professes, that he had always wanted to change even as he says that he always knew that he was the one who had the power to turn his life around.
He has struggled through so many years as an addict, and has sometimes landed up in camps, rehabilitation centres, and even been behind bars.
“I overdosed in 2000,” he states matter-of-factly, but one can see the greatest relief that comes from his life-changing experience that would later go on to make him a blessing.
It was probably a certain alcoholic camp he attended with 39 others that decided his fate for him, for he also confesses that he really wanted to do something good in life. His sweetest prayer, as he remembers is truly asking God, “If you are really God, save me”. Indeed, prayers made in faith never go in vain.
He attended Bible School in Calcutta for a 4-month course but through it all, he says, “I never imagined that I would be preaching someday, but it is the perfect plan of God.”
Looking barely the 31 years that he is, ever since he gave up drugs and alcohol, Temjen has been instrumental in the lives of many youths and has over the years been invited as a Resource Person for 40-50 camps in a year in several parts of the state, the country and beyond borders.
When asked how he managed to give up addiction, he simply says, “It was me who decided and my future is bright.”
As for the countless instances of addiction in the State, his solution seems to lie in giving them a chance to make mistakes and learning. And talking from personal experience and recalling the troubled times, he says, “There were numerous worries; I had a tough time meeting people because I always thought they were judging me...”
Towards this end, he goes on to say that youths under bondage of various addictions need love. He adds: ‘Church is for the sinners but we make it appear as though it is for the righteous.’
“I used to run away if I see a Pastor or a Deacon during my days of addiction,’ he ruefully states, while emphasising that they (churches) should truly walk with troubled youth rather than focussing only on Sunday preaching.
As a living testimony of change from Drug & Alcohol addiction to a fruitful life, it is Temjen’s desire to see our people judging less and giving a chance for addicts to express themselves and come to a point of realisation.
“Give them love and an opportunity to express themselves, and know their roots...everybody has a future, only we are not finding one,” he expresses, even as he insists that addicts are often with a good heart but the problem lies with society's inability to accept them. ‘If you are into drugs, you are the worst in the society’, is a message we tend to portray, he says.
On family, he observes that many parents feel, “My child has to change his/her company.” However, he sought to point out that it is not necessarily the friends but their child who is also at fault.
He strongly feels that parents, whom we see as God providing us good homes and education, should also be good counsellors and spend quality time with their children. He laments the fact that many bad habits start from home where parents gamble in front of their children, making them run such errands as buying paan/tobacco or liquor, or some, who do not seem to mind fighting in front of their children...
“It is very sad that having good family time, sharing and praying together are disappearing. Parents need to change themselves first before teaching their children to change,” he asserts.
Temjen also feels that youth today ‘are dying because they are giving their talents to the Church but not their lives to God’.
As to why he thinks alcohol abuse is such a problem in the State, he simply points out that we generally teach that ‘it is a sin to drink’. For that matter, even tea can be an addiction, he reasons.
The realistic and effervescent young man further holds ‘boring preaching’ as one of the reasons why today’s youth discard church services while insisting on bringing life to church by changing ideas and tuning them to relevant times while, of course, feeding them with the right messages.
As for him, it has not been easy but he has learned to choose the finer things in life. He also says that it amazes him that he manages to survive in the capital town without a regular pay. “The most magical part is that God provides,” he expresses with a thankful heart.
“I have my ups and downs, and sometimes I may not even have a single paisa, but I am free now, living life in its fullness,” is what he has to say. 
Interestingly, this young man whose formal education stopped at class VII never went to college, speaks better English than many graduates or0postgraduates, and it amazes him that he has had the opportunity to visit all the colleges in Nagaland most times as a Resource Person besides been invited to Bhutan, Nepal, Darjeeling, Kalingpong, and many other states in India to speak.
“God really answers our prayers...”
“There were times when I used to run away when people ask me ‘what’s your name?’ but I’ve learnt not to care what people think of me...I make mistakes, but fine, I will learn from it,” he says. This is exactly the kind of attitude he proclaims will change addicts in the State.
“Honestly speaking, giving up drugs and alcohol is easier than changing my character...I am still struggling and learning everyday,” he acknowledges, although by any standard, Temjen is an achiever.

Abokali Jimomi, Going the Organic Way..

Nagaland state may be lagging behind on many fronts, but Abokali Jimomi prefers to look upon it as a ‘blank canvas’ that is waiting to be painted.

“We talk of no development, no proper market or infrastructure, but at the same time, it is an opportunity for somebody to try something new,” states the MBA graduate from the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom who returned home last year.
She is the brain behind ‘Organic Nagaland’, an organisation which was formed early this year with its focus on networking local organic growers, training them and empowering Naga men and women at the grassroots level. In the process, she has imparted several trainings to Naga farmers, and in collaboration with the Central Institute of Horticulture, she has also taken them to Bangalore as part of imparting them with more knowledge about organic inputs, market, quality certification, integrated pest management, network with organic enthusiasts etc, in this aspect.
Her goal for now lies in concentrating on the local area first and eventually local produce.
But as she studies the ground realities, she feels a little disheartened to see our local markets flooded by non-local produce and ruefully says, “We have the land and the potential to produce but all our wealth are spent elsewhere.”
“We have to make concerted efforts to make local produce available all through the year...if we can capture 20% of our market, or even 5% for that matter, it is going to grow”, she asserts. She passionately adds, “Let us get vegetables from our own farms to our kitchens first.”
Observing that 90% of our people live in rural areas and villages, engaging themselves in basic activities, she says that there is immense capability and potential but expresses concern over whether we are effectively making use of these resources.
“We need to empower ourselves, produce our own food...” says Abokali while pointing out that people in Nagaland buy everything from outside. Even farmers are now leaving their farming profession saying ‘let us stop because we do not want to work anymore, she adds
“Why are we not using the creativity and the originality?” she questions as she delves in deeper and voicing discontentment over the stigma that the rush for government jobs has generated. She lamented the existing mindset among our people which views only white collar government jobs as the one super prestigious goal.
It is also her aspiration to involve educated unemployed youths in her endeavour to achieve her goal of promoting organic food while insisting that entrepreneurship is basically about generating employment although she realises that doing that is going to be a bit of a challenge as even those who studied agriculture do not practically want to go back to the fields.
However, despite everything, Abokali believes that there is huge potential for organic produce because it is ‘chemical free, it tastes better, and is good for the soil’. “It is about the soil actually,” she adds as she dwells once more on the organic input, organic manure, and explains further that as we don’t throw chemicals into it, it helps preserve our ecosystem and our environment.
“It is the most sustainable form of agriculture,” she maintains.
And yet onto another dream of hers, which she is already pursuing, is the documentation of the Sumi Oral Traditions, a research project aimed at reviving Sumi language, culture and traditional practices to restore a stronger cultural identity and cultural self-worth of the Sumi people. Talking about project, she says this has always been close to her heart while expressing concern that there is no documented history in this regard. Language, she feels, is also on the verge of extinction, and although, there is a revival of culture, there has been a long gap.
Ever since she returned from the UK, she has been busying herself in documenting the rich legacy of culture, visiting village after village in Zunheboto district and, at the same time, working towards achieving a greater goal through ‘Organic Nagaland’.
Ironically, she grew up thinking she would become a doctor, it being the ultimate ambition every parent had for their children. But somewhere along the way, she decided she wanted to do something else. “Over the years, I think I came to realise the value of speaking with the person within me,” she says. “I feel life is a discovery till you die, you keep learning about yourself.” And that’s how she decided that she should love what she does.
“I find joy in discovering or creating something new”, she adds.
She is also the brain behind ‘Green Club’ in Zunheboto, which she initiated with a few friends with the aim to spread awareness on environmental issues, promote civic sense among the citizens of the town and to engage young people to take positive action. Following the launch of this club, they have conducted seminars, cleanliness drives and tree plantation with students from different schools and colleges of Zunheboto.
With experience as Assistant Manager- Operations at ICICI Onesource Bangalore for one of UK’s Media and Entertainment giants and later as Manager-Operations at Marlabs Software Pvt. Ltd at Bangalore India, the effervescent lady who grew up in Zunheboto exhibits promise of greater things to come.
With a love for all things poetry, classical music, and an avid writer and traveller herself, interestingly, the idea of running a factory, processing food and doing something for people in the village fascinated her as a kid. This dream, it seems, is already taking shape as she gets down to the basics.

AA Angh, the Local Inventor

He is an inventor of sorts but had gone unnoticed the last decade even with numerous creations tugged under his belt. A.A. Angh is a self-made man who studied the importance of local resources and skillfully made use of it.

The simple man from Longleng district had always been drawn to art since childhood, which is evident from the awards he already gathered as a young boy studying in Class 1. He went on to receive an Artist Award in Standard IV when he was studying in King Dewitt School in Dimapur.

But more than painting that he was lauded for when he was younger, he developed intense liking for crafting which he took up without any second thoughts. He never got any formal training as such in this aspect, but the little discoveries he has made through sheer experience is worthy of mention.

He recalls crafting his first finished product, which is an Almirah he skillfully made when he was still in High School. Interestingly, he still uses it till date and when asked whether there was anybody behind his crafting, he simply says that “it is God’s Gift”.

In the year 2000, he decided to open a Workshop in Phunyu village in Longleng district which has reaped multiple benefits by now. Next to his name, he calls this “A.Akai Angh Craft, Manufacturer of Traditional and Modern Bamboo and Animal Horn Craft”. Although less heard of in the state, he has been up to many interesting crafting and has employed about 20 people by now.

The most interesting aspect however lies in the fact that he has well conceptualized the idea of using animal horns for several purposes, especially those of buffalo. This is thought to be something that has not been used in the same manner anywhere else in the world. He has been experimenting on this for the past last decade and has found it particularly resourceful for the simple fact that animals have always been targeted for consumption purpose.

In this regard, he goes on to explain that key-holders worth Rs.300-400 can be made from a single piece horn. Over the years, he has experimented with buffalo horns in numerous ways and out of it, produced interesting finished products like lamps, which can be used both by fueling either kerosene or electric charger. He also expresses that these lamps are 25% more economic than the rest.

He has designed items such as stands for pens, soap cases, horn earrings, tools for cleaning fish, etc besides other bigger things like stools and tables, revolving chairs etc and has also participated in the International Trade Fair at New Delhi in 2009. Both International and National Customers were seemingly so fascinated by the items he put up in the stall during this time that he managed to sell everything he carried there including lamps, revolving chairs etc.

He considers himself a “Town Chokra” (in his own words) and maintains that once he sets his mind and heart into something (either good or bad), he would seriously pursue it anyway. Lucky for him, this was something that he pursued for the greater good.

With varied experiences in crafting items out of animal horns, he emphasizes that “horns are very precious” and insists that “we have to save it”. For the most part, he is happy that the people of Longleng save animal horns for him and he gets it for free to further cut, design and craft something beautiful and useful out of it. He goes on to add that these horns are very hard to cut but he has well made use of machine-tiles cutter by way of soaking the horns in the water for about a week or so before getting to the real business.

He sees great prospect in the unassuming local resources that the state has and seriously points out that everything including  broken buckets, plastic containers etc are useful. “We have nothing to throw away because everything can be re-used to create something new”, he expresses. 

Another interesting thing he has lately been up to is inventing local gum. This, he says is made with the blend of 4 chemicals including fevicol (which is used as the main support), stone powder, cement powder oxide and hardener liquid). This new invention of his also fixes broken water syntax.

Having taught a few trainees in the recently held World Bamboo Festival in Dimapur, it is his desire to impart his knowledge and skills to interested youths of Nagaland, if given the opportunity. To this end, he also says that “I want to lift the unemployed youths of the state and engage them in meaningful employment as there are many ways we can make a livelihood out of simple wastes”.

Further expressing that now, even the backward tribes are full of educated people who are still unemployed, he wishes to impart trainings to these young people while also expressing his hope for a proper platform to enable him teach his skills, and knowledge of crafting he has gained from a wide range of experience.

He does lament that everybody has discouraged him for taking this up seriously but acknowledges the support of his wife, without him, he says he wouldn’t get this far. He is willing to go beyond the walls of Nagaland to train people in the North East or anywhere else if the need ever arises.

Confident that even women can skillfully take this up, he hopes to further expand his avenues of crafting in the near future. 

Richard Belho ~ An Architect by Design

He grew up thinking he would get into Fine Arts or Hotel Management but decided otherwise along the way. Richard Belho was introduced to Architecture by his persistent Aunt, which, he admitted wasn’t a bad decision he made after all.

Today, he is a household name when it comes to architecture and is more popularly known as a Bamboo Architect, even as he went on to receive the Bamboo Pioneer Award instituted by the World Bamboo Organisation for his contribution to bamboo sector development in India.

Talking about this, he says “I have a special affinity towards Bamboo because I believe it is the material for the future” and goes on to explain that “soon with Proper R&D, Bamboo will be the most Preferred Building Construction Material. This will have a huge impact on the Rural Economy too without any adverse effect on the environment. Bamboo has a special connection with us and that is why I am passionate with it.”

The Graduate from BMSCE Bangalore has indeed come a long way with his passion, as he recalls choosing to study Architecture and describing that he really fell in love with the Profession. Even more importantly, he says “I am very contended because Architecture has given me the training to think creatively and to work passionately”.

He did work in Bangalore in a highly professional environment for 4 years but insists that he felt more drawn to working with our People, which is why, he explains, “I had to come back to Nagaland, so that I could contribute to our society in my fullest capacity.”

Leaving behind opportunities outside the state and coming home to stay is always a challenging one, which he noticed in the way things were crude initially, or the too many unskilled people involved in the construction industry, to which end, he also ruefully adds “even the general public did not know the role of an Architect.” However, things perhaps changed for better, as he expresses gratitude for the support as well of people and well wishers who helped, overcome the initial obstacles easily.

Ever since, he has been working in the field and is also a co-opted member in the Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency, which involves handling most of the Architectural R&D for the Agency. “As Consultants, we have designed the Directorate for LRD, Industries and Commerce, Urban Development, Capital Cultural Hall etc”, he says.

The Architect is also actively involved with permaculture activities and is interestingly, further working with Marina on recording Traditional Angami Songs, as well as some of the young Naga IT professionals like Yanger Lemtur in creating online marketing opportunities for local entrepreneurs through a group he had created on FaceBook called N.O.O.B.s.

‘Zynorique Initiative’, an architectural firm which came into being during the Spring of 2002 is also his brainchild. He says that “this was an offshoot from our main Consultancy to train our Youths mainly in the Building Construction Sector.” To which end, he is grateful that with the full support of the State Government, they have been conducting regular Training sessions for Naga Youths since 2003.

He says that “the initial obstacle was tackling our youths” while expressing further that “they had such short attention span and most were only interested in Easy Money. But I guess it is not very difficult to change that mindset now that we have motivated Youths working with us in RCC works, woodworking, Bamboo Construction, bamboo toys etc.”

Another motivating aspect of the ‘Zynorique Initiative’ is the fact that only local youths were employed for the construction of its office from start to finish. One half was constructed entirely of Bamboo (double storeyed structure) while the other Half with RCC.

Going into details, he informs that “Sunup and his Bamboo Team worked on the Bamboo Structure while Kevisikho and his RCC team worked on the other half and Alibu & his woodworking team did the carpentry.” The Office, he says, was designed as a Relaxed Environment where the usage of cubicles was minimized with all the Bamboo Floor Boards and Wall Panels locally manufactured at NBRC, Dimapur.

On the other side of the topic, he feels that “the craze for Government Jobs is a handicap in our thinking process” and regretfully remarks that “there is a craze for easy money too and these attitudes are like Cancer to our society. If the target for our Average Naga is just to earn money to construct a Commercial Building and collect Rent, then there is no contribution to the society apart from paying Taxes.”

“The Average Youth is still capable of starting out different private ventures that will help build up our Society. I have so much faith in the ability of our Naga Youths and I believe with proper guidance we shall learn to stand on our own feet and prosper too”, he says.

Even as he lays emphasis on hard work, he points out that “there is a need for every Naga to understand the Dignity of Labour” and further says that “we have to earn every paise through hard work.”

The Architect is deeply concerned that there is lack of Ownership Mentality among Nagas and presses on saying “we have no care for our Environment, for our People. This Land belong to us and we have stop living like a Stranger in our own Land. There is also necessity to remove fear and mistrust amongst ourselves so that we may be thankful to one another as we live our lives.”

Nonetheless, also as a meber of YouthNet Plus and YI, he hopes to be actively involved with the Youth and optimistically expresses “I am looking forward to the day when our Locals can stand on our own feet and excel in whatever we do.”

But before closing, he feels the need to thank the State Government for the Proactive approach to the Problems of the Youth by creating numerous opportunities while observing that “in just one decade, we have seen and felt the empowerment for the local Naga youth” and goes on to make mention of Alemtemshi(IAS), Norman Putsure(IAS), Abeio Kire(IFS), Director Ken Keditsu(UDD), Contractor Vilelie Khamo and Er. Rokosalie for their continuous support to their office and activities.

Needless to say, but he is obviously thankful to his family for all their support and his Colleagues for trusting him and above all, “God, for giving me the opportunity to do what I do and to be able to reach out in my own small way.”

Born on 7th June 1975 to Sabina and Patrick, Richard Belho also has an elder brother - Edward Belho who is presently the State Counsel at Supreme Court. They say “hard work always pays”, and that, combined with “passion” has definitely brought him far.

Mount Carmel Orphanage ~ Home away from home

There are stains of a painful past written on their innocent faces even as they try to find back their childhood in the quiet of a peaceful village.

Mount Carmel Home in Sukhalu Village, which is some 154 kilometers away from the state capital in Zunheboto district has become home for these children since the past few years.

They hail mostly from conflict areas, who lost their parents to insurgency, and some of those who also got separated from their families as a result of broken homes and poverty.

To give back something worthwhile to the society was the vision of Dr. Inakhe Sumi, through whose large heartedness, this home was born in the year 2009.

“Our duty is to take initiative…most of my life I had been in the government service. I am retired now and I feel that it’s time to give a little part of my service to the people”, this ex government employee says.

He knew the pangs of growing up without parents, having lost his mother in his early childhood. And likewise, his wife understood his dreams of running this home because she lost her father when she was also at a young age.

However, even with such a noble venture in place, it was never an easy job to start parenting children of different races coming from different backgrounds. But they held on to their dreams and it was mostly joy when they found 5 new children to share life with.

Right from the beginning, there were more children who wanted to join but due to insufficient space for accommodation, some of them were left out. But as their family grew, today, they are parents to 12 children including 4 Zeliangs, 1 Chakhesang, 3 Nepalis, 3 Adhivasis and 1 Sema, to add to their own 5 biological children.

What is really worth mentioning is the fact that these children have seen pain before the prime of their lives began. One of the kid’s father for instance, was murdered in a farm in Dimapur, while he only had a step mother, who also left him behind, alone in the world.

And for strange reason, most of these children want to join the Army when they grow up even as it was learnt that their love for toy guns is extraordinary.

Who knows what their future holds but rest assured, they have a home to call their own now. Aged between 4-16 years, these children attend the LP School in Sukhalu Village and when they are finished there, they go to Zunheboto for higher education.

Growing up the indigenous way, the home has its own paddy cultivation nearby among other farming like poultry, piggery, goatery and a kitchen garden.

With two full time teachers including a Theologian Hovitoli and John Zeliang from Jalukie, who also grew up in the Orphanage, and 2 other cooks, they are definitely in safe hands as they animatedly chat in Nagamese or English.

Dr.Inakhe Sumi, who is also the present VCC of Sukhalu Village finds joy in being with the children and expresses that “these kids are much better controlled, they are more initiative and easier to groom”.

All the children know they are orphans, but are, without doubt, happy to be in a comforting place, and building up a new family. He says that sometimes, they do get phone calls from their relatives, as some of them have other foster parents.

And while his aspirations for the children are plenty, his greatest hope is to see them in comfortable shoes, abled and independent.

“One day I would like to see these children taking care of themselves, self-sufficient and happy”, he expresses before closing the conversation. 

Entrepreneurs Associates ~ Impacting Lives

When a group of first generation entrepreneurs defied the odds by taking to the streets their pleasure to keep ‘dignity of labour’, they weren’t quite sure if it would go well with the crowd in the near future. As students of standard 12, they made the best use of their vacations in the early nineties and sold newspapers to start with.

While they were greatly influenced by the thinking process shared by personalities like Rev. Wati Aier, Niketou Iralu, and Visier Sanyu, who spoke a lot on changing the perspective of the people and practicing dignity of labour, CEO of Entrepreneurs Associates (EA), Neichute Doulo to this day, confesses that their thoughts had huge impact on students like them during 1990-91.

The pioneer organization for entrepreneurs in the state as the brainchild of Neichute Doulo has come a long way today, having worked for the last 12 years in promoting entrepreneurship in Nagaland. As a perfect example himself, he dared to break away from the generous conception of holding a government service, which has always been thought as the ultimate dream of the society.

Even when he was expected to be in the government sector, more so, for being the first postgraduate from his village, he resigned from lectureship to dedicate full-time service to the cause of entrepreneurship.

Starting off with Reach Home Services in 1998, EA, under his competent leadership has 3000 members today, spread over 10 districts of Nagaland. It can confidently take pride in providing Micro finance to about 3000 farmers engaged in agri-allied activities and helping more than 2500 youths to become self-employed till date. On a modest count, the Association has generated meaningful employment to 3000 youths across the state.  It has channelized about Rs.35 Crores for Micro Finance through its partnership with Financial Institutes, Corporates, Social Investors and EA member contributions, and has, more significantly repaid back Banks and social investors their capital with interests. 

To keep an organization growing was never without hard work, or sacrifice. But it seems their efforts have paid off as EA went on to receive India’s first ever Citizens’ Base Award from the Ashoka Innovators in December 2001 at New Delhi.

Clearly seen as a figure for social change, Neichute was also the 5^th Recipient of Naga Mothers Association Award in 2003 for developing Entrepreneurship, sharing platform with the likes of previous recipients including Geoffrey Yaden, Niketou Iralu, and Gokhale. The Chakhesang Youth Front had also given him a lifetime Achievement Award on the basis of being a Social Entrepreneur, and a youth who has immensely contributed to social change.

And yet, dreamers never stop aiming for bigger dreams.

Neichute hopes for EA to make entrepreneurs of at least 10,000 people and expresses that they still have a long way to go because they have not yet reached a total of 3000 presently. He also wishes to see that Naga people become tax payers by 2025, but before that, he has a dream to see Nagaland having an International Airport by 2015.

When asked how EA wishes to contribute towards making this a reality, he simply states that “I believe that once we have a group, a number of serious dynamic people who are not just movers of traders in Nagaland but across North East and India and even abroad, it would become possible.”

Strongly expressing keenness on making this viable, he professes seriousness on building the tallest growth of entrepreneurs in the state while also putting forward that Nagaland now, has lots of shopkeepers which is just the beginning, and emphasizes on creating big business people. “If we have at least few thousands real enterprising Naga people, then the meaning of having an International airport will become real”, he says.

Another concern, he pointed out is that there are no seasoned 3 star hotels in Nagaland for business people from outside to come in and stay. To which end, he also expresses that “our level of entrepreneurship in Nagaland is very poor.”

But without giving up hope, he insists that “there are lots of challenges to think big, and even without the support of banks, we must continue to grow.” “This is the game and challenge for Members of EA”, he says but he was, at the same time glad that they have got the confidence of some of the banks.”

For somebody whose heart goes out for building the state’s economy, it means so much that the Government of Nagaland has declared year 2010-11 as the Year of Entrepreneurs, which has further been extended for another year. “It is a big gesture that the government has given us”, he says with gratitude.

Many young entrepreneurs would, today, testify without any second thoughts that EA, has been the driving force in their careers. With many success stories to share, it has definitely changed the tide of many people’s course of living and it is this change that EA continues to strive for.

Even as the CEO goes on to term the CM Corpus Seed Money of Rupees One Crore as the Dream Loan which was disbursed to 84 selected entrepreneurs as micro finance early this year, it’s obvious that it remains the prime objective of EA to shape the economy of Nagaland by way of enterprising the young and able, and more importantly, inculcate in them, dignity of labour. 

Chekrovelü Swuro ~ Aiming for the stars

Even with the latest commendable feat of the Indian National Women Archery team that won Silver in the 46th World Archery Championships held in Turin, Italy in July 2011, Chekrovolü Swuro, as one of the three-member team still feels that her Greatest Award is yet to be won. 

She has put the map of Nagaland to a global audience in the field of Archery but there is no air of pride in her, as she strictly confesses to being a daughter of the land, who grew up in an ordinary family. 

But her achievements are, by all means worth celebrating, although she refuses to take credit for making India proud. In her almost 2 decades of mastering Archery, she has represented India in over 30 Tournaments held in more than 30 countries across the world including Bangkok, China, US, Iran, London, Turkey, Italy among others. 

During these series of events, she has immensely contributed to bringing home numerous Bronze and Silver Medals from the World Championships and Asian Games but the Individual Silver that she won way back in 1999 in Bangkok remains a precious feat for her.

She has many winning moments to recall but she still insists that these victories would not have been possible if it weren’t for her sister, Vesevolü who is an Archer herself. Recalling how she took her first test at Patiala in Punjab Under-14 Archery Championship in 1995, she affirms that her sister has been her mentor all the way.

“Whatever I am today is because of her”, she confesses as she looks back on the times when her dad used to encourage her to follow in her sister’s footsteps. “My Mom was a bit hesitant”, she expresses, but commits to having the greatest support from her sister for all times.

She remembers with fondness her four years’ training in the Tata Archery Academy in Jamshedpur which she completed in 2002. Although deprived of experiencing High School & College life, she doesn’t seem to regret taking the road less traveled.

Her passion for the game stayed even with the challenge of adjusting to several weather conditions, lifestyles, food habits and the like. These are little hurdles she comes across each time she sets out to play for a world audience. But she enjoys the pleasure of seeing new places and making new friends, and with such simplicity expresses that her tiredness from a journey vanishes the moment she sees the beauty of a particular place.

But unmistakably, it is her love for the game that has brought her this far. One can see that she is committed to it even as she plans on giving her best shot for as long as she is able and someday she wishes to come back home and impart whatever knowledge and experience she has gained about Archery in the state.

She is encouraged to see that Nagaland has an Archery Academy now, as well as the growth of Sepaktakraw here while expressing that this is one improvement in the state as far as sports is concerned. However, she is mindful of the fact that there is no enough facility for sportspersons here. Otherwise, she feels that Nagas can really excel in sports.

Currently at the India Coaching Camp in Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, Chekrovolü is undergoing training for participation in various international tournaments including the 3rd Archery World Cup in the USA, the 2nd Asian Archery Championship in Iran, Olympic Test Event in London and the 4th Archery World cup at Shanghai China all scheduled for this year.

The Ace Archer keenly expresses that it is ultimately the Olympic Games that people in her field aim for. Even with a couple of tourneys coming up before the London Olympic Games 2012, it is her hope to be part of it throughout. And yet, she is aware that participation in the Olympics would solely depend on her performances in the upcoming tournaments.

Interestingly, Archery seems to be in the family’s genes as she excitedly informs of her younger brother, Thepuvoyi who has joined her and her sister in the field. Both of them will be participating in the 3rd Archery World Cup in the USA scheduled to be held next month from August 2-7, 2011.

Even with holidays a hard bargain, one can see her passion for the game but when asked what it means to her, she reasonably states that it is just one aspect of life. “There are a lot of other important things like family…that comes together to make life” she says.

Over and above, she insists that she is trying to make the best use of the God-given Gift, for which she is grateful. And of course, despite all the hard work that has reaped her great success, she is thankful to the state government while making particular mention of the Chief Minister of Nagaland, who is also the President of the Nagaland Olympic Association for his full support.

She also remembers how the state government extended her financial help to buy her bow when she first started off. The eighth daughter in the family from amongst 10 children, the champ from Dzulhami Village has come a long way. 

Naga Students' Union Delhi ~ For the welfare of the students

Too often, students’ leaders are put in the sideline. Notwithstanding the fact that they work for the welfare of the community, I am often skeptical about Students’ Unions or Associations.

But the heart of the matter is often something else genuine that needs to be appreciated, just as the President of the Naga Students’ Union Delhi (NSUD), Boveio Poukai Duo says, “it is a Big Responsibility”. I agree, primarily because being a students’ leader in the capital of India with over 22000 registered members could never be an easy task.

He says, the challenge therein lies “expectation of the people” as he goes on to express “people expect so much from us…any incident and everybody starts calling up.” This, regardless of whether they have the answers or not. It makes it all the more challenging with Delhi being dubbed as the rape capital of India and our people have been victims of various crimes in this place.

To this end, he strongly feels that as Nagas residing in the Capital of India, “it is our responsibility to understand their culture” while pointing to instances where Nagas tend to party late till 3:00 to 4:00 AM in the morning. He went on to explain that “this is something our people never do at home”. He also emphasizes that “they must not forget that they are not in their actual homeland, not a foreign country as such”, and states, ‘take for instance, a Punjabi or a non-Naga trying to act smart in our place….perhaps when we try to place ourselves in their shoes, we will also realize our mistake and act responsibly”, he adds.

He maintains that crime can take place anytime or anywhere while expressing that there is stealing, discrimination or rape everywhere and affirms that “the only thing I can say is we must understand the culture of the place we are residing at and live accordingly”. On the other hand, he feels that 80% of the problem faced in Delhi is from the non-students, especially people who are neither working nor studying.

Towards this end, he asserts that parents do have an important role to play. While it disheartens him that elders most often brand those who join students unions ‘as a bunch of hopeless people’ (in his words), he firmly states that it is not a last resort and avers that it takes so much sacrifice, time and commitment to be involved. “I feel we are people with a dream to serve our people in the long run”, he says.

Expressing that parents keep telling their students not to be part of the organization but concentrate only in their studies, he finds it disappointing that the Union is however held responsible and answerable when their children land up in trouble. “We are at the receiving end”, he dejectedly says, while bringing back the challenge of living up to the expectation of the people which, he pointed out is their desire for “NSUD to be the rescuer to every problem”.

But one thing is certain even as he puts it this way- “not only in good times but in bad times, NSUD as an organization working for the welfare of the students’ community, is trying our best to bring all round development”.

The 48th President of Naga Students’ Union Delhi personally has a dream to work for our people. “A wonderful Nagalim”, according to him and to realize this dream, he says, “NSUD is the best platform…this is some place where I am given a chance to be tested- whether I’ll be successful in the long run or not”. He is happy that most of his executives are committed and dedicated and have been working for the students on a full-time basis during their tenure.

This year, the Union assisted over 1500 fresh students, most of them Nagas for admission to various colleges and universities in Delhi. Established in the year 1963 on 25th August, the Naga Students’ Union Delhi has come a long way as one of the biggest and oldest organizations in the capital.

Some of the activities it holds annually are Freshers’ Meet, Nagas’ Nite, Sports Week and conducting at least 4-5 seminars based on several topics of social, economic and political importance.

During Boveio Poukai Duo’s current tenure as the President, an Information Handbook on basic rights has been launched and the latest project being the NSUD Newsletter, a first of its kind by Nagas in Delhi.

The Union does the painstaking task of visiting the Police Station at least thrice a week, and sometimes more, either to bail out somebody or make a compromise. Besides, its participation is seen in several other seminars and workshops, or rallies of different kinds so long as it stands for a social cause or a democratic rally.

One of the many things they do also include efforts to keep the Nagas from Myanmar in Delhi connected to the Union. The Union professes to function for the promotion and upholding of cultural heritage, educational development, fraternity and integrity of the Nagas and above all to secure the unity of the Union.

For one last measure of thought, and the President gratefully states that the NSUD is privileged to have Mr. Kuole Mere, PRO Nagaland House & Advisor to NSUD, and Mr. Wezope Kenye, DRC, Nagaland House for their unceasing support at all times.

The Young-at-heart

Sanyi Dukru belongs to the generation that sang along the melodious tunes of Jim Reeves but one can still see the zealous spirit in him, the passion with which his life became an instrument for inspiration.
He is a ‘young at heart’ whose ambition never seemed to fail for they also say “Hard work always pays’.
His daring quality is one of the things that appeal to me. I believe his audacity has led him to achieve far more than he expected himself. His story reminds one of the traditional Naga life and the simplicity with which education was at its nascent stage in our land. He got married in the year 1982 while he was still in high school, in Class 8 to be precise, and studied further after marriage.
With such nostalgic reminiscence, he recalls how he worked at a sawmill after class and earned Rs 40 per day. It takes patience and dedication but in three years time, he had saved Rs.4000. What came after that was the birth of a dream.
Who would have thought of buying a Tree with the money that came from a long-term saving. But he did, and with that experience, he realised the prospect of Timber Business, which he eventually took up and has never left it since.
But no field of enterprise is without hardship. He’s had his own struggles. He has endured uncountable number of threats and extortions. And even if he had to carry around bruises on his face, he said yes to ‘Business’. And that’s how I think he is one of the pioneers in this field.
Yet his venture isn’t confined to timber. His heart runs out for agriculture as a whole. To which end, he expresses “Nagaland has no industry but we have our land. We do not have to be discouraged and we are privileged that land ownership is solely ours”.
He goes on to add that “agriculture is like a goldmine, and if we are serious on this, we don’t have to depend on the government. We have everything…God has blessed us with so much and we need to make use of it.” For him, work speaks even as he strictly maintains “work is our testimony”. “We shouldn’t look for easy money” is what he strongly stands for.
Today, all the hard work he has put has reaped him rich rewards. One could safely say that he owns one of the biggest farms in Phek district, stretching out to an area of 10 hectares and accommodating varieties types of things that could fit into a farm.
His Farmhouse oversees an orchard of kiwis (4000 in number), apples, 2500 and plums in 600 and currently employs 6 families. He doesn’t only stick to the traditional way of growing trees but he makes it a point to prune it every year and keeps it at 6 feet in order that, when the trees bear fruit, they are not out of reach and compelled to fall waste. It also interests me to learn that poultry and goatery have their place here, making it possible to extract 100 litres of milk everyday from the farm.
Without any doubt, he is an outgoing man who loves to interact with people, to learn and to share. Although complete formal education eluded him, he has never missed out any further opportunity to learn. In his varied experience of pursuing business, he says that the “most challenging thing in business is discovering that people are not honest”.
But he works with a future vision and believes in making a difference. Currently serving as the Chairman of Razeba Marketing Sub-Committee, it is also his dream that all the four villages in the Razeba area would be declared vegetable villages in the years to come as it has rich produce of organic vegetables especially potatoes and cabbage. It may be noted here that two villages in the Razeba area including Zhavame and Tsüfüme have already been declared Vegetable Village in the past few years.
He also served as the President of Nagaland Timber Trade Association (NTTA) and is presently the President of NTTA Phek District.
On a more personal note, he affectionately talks of his family and is a proud father of 9 talented daughters. Our tradition may tend to shift focus on sons but contented to be blessed with these daughters, he expresses that “the challenge of bringing up 3 sons is equivalent to grooming 9 daughters as girls are much more obedient and easier to teach”.
Also an avid traveller, he has been to every nook and corner of Nagaland but something that saddens him more than irritate him is people’s irresponsibility. “It hurts me to see people giving a damn for government property.” Although not exactly a person who encourages the young generation to opt for government service, he is a champ when it comes to dedicating oneself to an ambition that always needs to be accompanied by dedication.
Did I mention he is young at heart? He absolutely believes that our people are very creative and he himself has not deviated from it. He is a great Photographer too!

Zaren Odyuo~ The Entrepreneur

Business, according to Zaren Odyuo, is a social cause as he meticulously explains that looking at any developing state, “It is the business that controls the economy, the life style of the people, and shapes and determines the conditions of a society.”
Perhaps it was with this firm belief that he got into the world of business, but it wasn’t without hardship that he got where he is today. He recalls that his first business venture was a failure and only another tryst marks the start of a retailing career in his life. Being a first generation entrepreneur, he regrets that he never really had the guidance and finance. He says, “It was and is a big struggle and everyday it’s a big challenge as competitions gets tough,” compelling the need to work harder to be ahead.
He’s had trade lessons, as he calls it, by playing multiple roles such as being a salesman to cashier and has endured sleepless nights over calculated risks. But one thing he’s proud to have achieved is the “trust” he has built over the years. Today, he is one among the best known names in the business world, but he never forgets that it had a humble beginning.
Zaren believes that it takes Good Planning and Patience coupled with Dedication and Hard Work, Building Trust, Consistency, and Humility to be successful in this field. And of course, the challenge, he says lies in taking the risk and having the faith, which he insists has brought him this far.
But while the prospect of business in the State is large and bright, one cannot deny the presence of threats and extortions.......towards this end, he feels that “it is time for our Youth to wake up to the reality and ask ourselves why others can do business for generations (with all the taxes & threats) and we can’t.”
“I know of some shop owners who run small businesses here but have buildings and lands in their villages outside the State. One small electrical shop owner has supported his sons in getting into engineering colleges….the list goes on. They know how to handle and deal with our people and make profits; we Naga Entrepreneurs should learn, adapt, do the same and also, in the process, bring about change,” he says.
He also feels that "unless our youth connect and interact, and much help supported genuinely by the underground and the state government, we will surely be controlled by people who really won’t have much concern for our State except to make profits."
On another note, he is of the opinion that “Naga youths are deprived of role models, people that they can look up on, leaders with qualities of being visionaries, transformers, standing up for the truth, basically being a Christian Man.”
“Naga youth are looking to identify or relate with something and the majority are heading towards adapting different foreign cultures which is degenerating our rich culture of being honest, hard working, self reliant and the respect for one another,” he laments and goes on to add that “as much as the older generations are needed to set examples, the Naga youth have a huge task to transform our land. We know the situation! I believe we have the talents, resources, the right people but getting swayed away can be easy for our youths.”
This Young Entrepreneur has a dream for Nagaland, which in his words is “to bring back our glory days when Man took up spears when the villages were threatened. Our society is being threatened by our own people (illegal taxes, corruption on all levels, law and order, etc).”
“If only we speak out and fight, I believe Nagaland will have better days, better education, better health care etc,” he firmly states.
On a lighter note, it may interesting for many to note that his childhood dream was to be a Government Officer although he confesses that business was always at the back of his mind.
Truly a man with a success story, who never had the support of the Government in terms of finance and never had the luxury of having a huge start-up capital, has established a Brand Name – ‘Gravity’ - in three districts of Nagaland - Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung.
‘Tribal Enterprise’ which is his very own brainchild has Benjamin Mozhui as the Co-Owner. Down the years, it has also generated employment to over 90 local youths.
Here is one of our very own who is determined and convinced that it is possible to do business and be successful in Nagaland. He, himself is testimony to it.

Iliangna Haralu~ Playing with Images

Since childhood she has been drawn to the world of images, and perhaps this is where her influence on taking up photography really began. But much more than a hobby, photography is a passion for Iliangna Haralu, which she describes as gradually becoming a profession.
Interestingly, she never took up any formal training in photography but states that she was able to nurture this passion even more closely with the Internet. “This led me to experiment with photographing my immediate surroundings”, she says.
Having started really young in this line, her recent recognition includes a list of her images in Hats for Haiti (a Photobook by Tony Eccles), Vogue India May 2010 issue and Vogue India Feb 2011 issue respectively.
The 24-year-old got her early education from Christian Higher Secondary School Dimapur in 2007 and attended Llandrillo College in North Wales, UK, where she completed the VRQ-2 programme in Culinary Arts with distinctions in the year 2008.
Since then she has launched her own catering service including a page (www.facebook.com/i.bake.dimapur), which she uses as a medium to get orders from across Nagaland and neighbouring states.
Currently she is pursuing her graduation though a correspondence course and says, “I opted for the correspondence because it left me time to pursue my other passions which are Catering and Photography”.
It is her dream to have a chain of stores first across Nagaland and then the neighbouring states in North-East India and finally make her presence felt in the metropolitan cities in the country. When asked where she goes from here, she is quick to say “I am often asked this question, to which my reply is my dream is not yet complete. I have only taken the first step.”
“At the moment I know I have miles and miles to go before I rest my feet,” she adds.
But for somebody her age, she has come a long way capturing and catering. Photography, which she takes both as a passion and a hobby, is a good combination, she says.
Her forte lies in taking portraits but says that since the hobby is an expensive one, she is delighted to photograph any kind of event. Like any other modern technology, she feels that “the changes in photography equipment is equally rapid and coupled with high budgets...you are always left wondering if you can afford the latest version of camera body and lenses”.
She refuses to comment on the scope of photography while maintaining that it is not even two years since she has taken to photography seriously. “So I may not qualify to comment on its prospects,” she says. However, in her personal view, “Photography like any other venture in Nagaland can be limited only by one's individual approach and how hard one is willing to strive at it.”
Throwing a few opinions on the Naga youth, she believes the talent and potential is right here, ‘but for entrepreneurs like me who have no business , it would be a great help if someone could organise a brief Business Management course for the likes of me in Nagaland.”
She feels that the youth today are faced with multifaceted challenges and views that “the root cause for this stems from a lack of absence of vision of their future. Some have either stopped dreaming or those that dream have not been equipped to achieve their dream. There could be several reasons for this such as lack of quality education that challenge the youth to reach beyond themselves, lack of professional management of human resources within the State and an increasing communication gap between parents and children. These factors coupled with governance that validates corruption makes the times extremely hard for the present Naga Youth.”
As for her, she hopes to keep her passion alive, and this, she says “I do so by keeping myself engaged at all times”.
When asked about other things she enjoys doing, she is prompt to add “I like this question the most. I love to travel, shopping for leisure and my professional needs and of course music.”
It is also interesting to note that she comes from an interesting family wherein she describes her Mom as a Gardener and Dad as a Musician.
Driven by passion, there are definitely greater things waiting for this young Photographer...
One can find her pictures at http://www.iliangnaharalu.blogspot.com/ and www.facebook.com/Iliangna.Haralu.Photography.

Kesonyü~ Living his Dream

He has achieved his dream in the prime of his life, and is still driven by that same passion to excel in the elite profession that he earned with absolute honesty. Kesonyü Yhome (IAS), however, confesses that he was without much ambition in his 10th standard.

 It was a gradual process that developed his interest and as he graduated from Science College, Jotsoma, he recalls, “I realised and decided that I’d definitely like to be in the Civil Services.”
After a bit of training in the country’s capital, he also took the NPSC Examination simultaneously and was ranked 5th in the Examination, but there were greater things waiting for him as he cleared the UPSC in the same year in 2007 at twenty-something.
That’s how he is also the recipient of NASU’s Young Achiever’s Award as he became the youngest IAS Officer from the Angami Community.
Having served his first stint as SDO(C), Mokokchung, he is currently the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung district.
He is clearly happy to be part of India’s prestigious service even as he shares his experiences on a journey that only seems to be getting brighter. He says that “the interesting part about this service is that you get to see and touch almost every aspect of public life. From census to welfare schemes, to constitution and policy making…” “Interactions with different sections of people is one of the biggest takeaways from the service,” he affirms while expressing that in other professions, ‘you won’t get this much opportunity to mingle”.
He is fascinated to get a holistic view of the lifestyle of people, the way they think, and do things, from politicians to farmers to government employees. “The degree of interaction is one of the most interesting aspects in this profession” he holds. Besides, he is taken in by visits to different parts of the state, and getting a comparative view of things and institutions, seeing the virtue of people living in different places. “That kind of experience and in-depth understanding of getting the view of different things and times is one of the interesting things,” he says.
The contentment in his voice is undeniable and we get back to where we started as I thought he could inspire aspiring Naga youths. To which, he replies that “everybody who attempts UPSC examination is equally bright”, and so one or two things are very common but Hard Work, he insists is indispensable, and of course, self-confidence, not over-confidence, he clarifies is a critical entity to keep one going.
Then, the talk of thousands of Naga students taking up coaching classes in Delhi emerges and he is quick to add that “we have the wrong concept of thinking that if we do not take coaching classes we cannot make it”. He explains that it does help but there is no harm if one is attempting it without having to go through coaching because it’s not a guarantee to clear the exam. He feels that many of us do not give our 100%, and emphasizes on having our goals very well set, and being sure of what we want.
Very convincingly, he reiterates again “…and of course, hard work always pays.”
Having a special place for the youths, he observes that “our Naga youth are heading towards the future (whatever future that is), and trying to do something where we don’t know what we actually want.” He regrets that the educational system we are following is mostly in line with preparing us to get some job, especially government jobs.
“Days are gone when you pursue education to get a job,” he expresses and insists that it is time we realise education is not only about going to school but about more about gaining knowledge and wisdom in whatever way it comes.
If this is realised and when our society can start looking at options where we can earn our livelihood and also contribute to the society, he feels that 60-70% of our social issues can be addressed. He holds education as the key element because, he says, the moment your educational system goes wrong, it leads to a lot of social problem.
This age, he emphasises is all about specialisation and goes on to impress that we really need to specialize. Towards this end, he explains that “Excellence is the key, but we have the aptitude and talent” while speaking strictly in the context of the Naga youths and further feels that sports and music are areas they can excel.
He also thinks that there are alternative options like Media, Theatre, Animation, etc and at the very core of it, gets back to education as a key towards changing the mindset about rooting for government service in Nagaland. “People and focus has to be changed. We need to pick these up from our very childhood,” he maintains.
Another thing which he holds very closely to his heart is the Naga Culture, which, he says is our identity and explains further that “when we lose it we lose our identity, and when we lose our identity, we lose our history” and asserts “what is our society without our history”. ‘We need to think about this in greater depth’, he says.
When asked about his future plans, the young IAS officer professes that “like many other friends and people, one thing in mind is to particularly make our state one of the best performing states across the country”. But, of course, with contribution from all sections of people, he wistfully adds.
One last note, and with much affection, he says his inspiration has been his Mom all along. And that’s coming from a youngest in the family who is living his dream as an IAS Officer.

Keleseho- The Debator

Although his educational roots is strictly confined to institutions in the village, Keleseho Stephen Tsükrü has long been blessed with such orating skills that it earned him a place in the world stage in the later part of his educational quest.
Yet, it wasn’t without practice and experience that he zoomed far ahead of his own peers. He recalls giving his first extempore speech at the age of 15, during which time, he says, he became a laughing stock of the audience since he was asked to speak in Tenyidie.
But that did not deter his spirit from going up on stage again. Instead, it was like a confidence builder that drove him even more. And there was no stopping this young enthusiast from taking part in most of the social events within his reach.
Years on, he was representing various bodies at different levels such as the Southern Angami Students’ Union, Angami Students’ Union and Naga Students’ Federation besides already been fluent in the school stage. Skilled both in Extempore Speech and Debate, he says that this 2-in-1 component has been a changing moment for him as he went forward to scale greater heights in this respect.
At a later stage, Keleseho was part of the debate conducted across the country by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India and coordinated by the Nehru Yuva Kendra. Through the series of screenings done in the district, state, regional and pre-national levels respectively, he always came home with a winning prize when finally, he made it to the great National Debate in 2007.
This, he remembers was a great challenge posed before him as he had to tune himself to a Hindi-speaking guy. But having found greater confidence in English and then with the help of some lines in Hindi, he emerged the National Debate Champion at the age of 22.
The first and only Naga who spoke on such a platform to a national audience on the theme “Energy Efficiency and Conservation is the only way to prosperity”, Keleseho also eventually became the Indian Delegate to the International youth Exchange Programme (World Expo.) in China along with the elite of Youth Affairs & Sports Ministry last year.
This young man of multiple talents has left traces in many a places, and he has had experience teaching children since college days. He worked in a BPO industry too before he became part of Fire Fighting and Disaster Management, which is his current profession.
Perhaps it was skill or dedication, but whichever way, it certainly paid for he was given the Best Turn Out title in 2008, as a Trainee at the North East Regional Fire Fighting Training Center at North Silla Guwahati.
He explains that their job fits into many professions as they are like mini engineers when it comes to the technical aspect, mini doctors while providing first aid and of course as Resource Persons for imparting trainings, they always hold big responsibilities.
He finds it interesting that they are on the move all the time, but it, of course, poses great challenge to work in such demanding environments. And the philanthropic nature of their job must be admired.
Interestingly, he is a Commerce Student, and a holder of an M.Com degree when, as a matter of fact, he wanted to study Arts. An ardent seeker of knowledge, he is also in the process of finishing his LLB and still, with an undying zest, he plans on taking a PG Diploma course in Disaster Management.
He insists that our youth have to change their mindsets and laments that Nagas do not have the instinct of indulging themselves in part-time jobs, aptitude approaches or acquiring more degrees. Towards which end, he also says that having more degrees always helps…”to earn something, there is scope everywhere, income can be everywhere” while he opines that when one’s sole target is into government service, it is shabby business.
On the other hand, he feels that the potential qualified young people are being exploited while expressing that ‘his/her service is inevitable’ but states that the society is over exploiting their services. He goes on to add that “when we are too socialized, it affects our studies, our job, etc, etc”. However, he says that we have a very good social structure with lots of associations and social organisations that provide good spirit for discussion. And on the optimistic side, he further expresses that in times of need, there is support, condolences, appreciation, felicitation, from these groups. But he still holds on to his view that the most potential group of people are being over-exploited, in the sense that their services become an obligation in all these places.
And here’s one youth with great potential who has been part of more than one activity. He has, over the years, served as Vice President of Khuzama Students’ Care Union, President of St. Joseph’s College, Jakhama and has won several Debate & Extempore Competitions at village, regional, tribal and state levels.
Keleseho has produced, directed and acted in plays, skits and operas and. as an active sportsman, played in various tournaments and won them too. He was also awarded the Nagaland Catholic Youth Movement Award for Excellence in 2009 and continues to serve the society as an Advisor to the Khuzama Catholic Youth Association, President of the Southern Angami Catholic Youth Association, Executive Member of the Angami Catholic Youth Association and Spokesperson for the Nagaland Catholic Youth Movement.
Keleseho Stephen Tsükrü is clearly much more than just an excellent debater.

Kenei Chale- Music in her Blood

She is the new face of music that emerged with such conviction, capable of steering an audience of all age groups. Although Kenei Chale came into the limelight only recently in the year 2008 after her tryst with Naga Idol 3.08, she has been performing ever since she was twelve.
This unassuming girl from Kigwema really started her career as a Musician after she was adjudged finalist of the 3rd Season of Naga Idol. Recalling this period of competition, she admits that she was a bit disappointed with the final result but in that tone of gratefulness expresses that “I got more platforms after the Grand Finale”.
 And that is how her real journey as a Musician began even as she went about touching people’s lives with her beautiful voice. She has that clear and exceptional control over her voice that it never fails to leave traces in places, events and stages that carried her feet.
Music, she believes is “God’s Wonderful Gift” and goes on to advocate the need to promote music in every way possible. It is her hope that everybody, young or old contribute towards this by encouraging all aspiring singers. And to those who are gifted in the field of music, she aspires that they give their best and trust in the Lord and themselves, and use music in such a way that they give back to the society through what they are blessed with. “When we put our trust in the Lord, He never fails us”, is what this young musician has to say.
As for the musical notes that brews in her, she is thankful to God and towards this end, she also feels privileged that her family has been supportive of her dreams all the way.
Kenei has never received any formal training on her voice or music but as a self-taught musician, she has come up as a very fine musician. It is also note worthy that out of sheer interest, she has the ability to weave magic on the keys although she insists that playing the keyboard and the guitar are part of her leisure time.
Among her favourite list of musicians include Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Darlene Zecsh. This is quite evident from the choice of songs that she often picks for public performance. In fact, she could be Nagaland’s own Celine Dion.
On the other side of it, she amusedly says that she is trying to develop cooking as a hobby. She remains rather queit on her academic ventures but the passion that she has for music is clearly indicative. As the youngest child in the family, she has two siblings and although she hails from the Southern Angami area, she calls Kohima her hometown.
She may seem media shy but when she gets on the stage and starts singing, nothing can stop that incredible voice from soaring. In a plan to take her dreams in music forward, she plans to take up a diploma course in music in the near future.
Over the years, she has emerged as the brand name for significant events and was last year chosen as the Brand Ambassador of NSACS Red Ribbon Rock Reach in a bid to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS under the slogan “prevention is the only cure”.
Among the many events that she lighted up include shows such as the Prodigal Son, T.Ao’s Trophy, and recently the Kohima Concert held in aid of Japan Earthquake. And these few events are beside the numurous occassions including weddings, concerts, church events, conferences, seminars etc across Nagaland and in the neighbouring states like Manipur and Assam.
She particularly holds close to her heart, the old aged and the orphans, and perhaps along this line, she also wishes to carry forward her music in the days to come. As for the scenario in the state, she feels that music has a long way to go but promisingly states that “it is encouraging, and really coming up in the recent years.” ‘But to get there, it’s going to take time”, she adds.

Venusa- A Warrior for Christ

He stood strong in faith even when his father was shot death by some gunmen demanding money in the year 1997, and despite the tragic event, he kept his mother’s special prayer alive by becoming a Christian Warrior
Venusa Tinyu comes across as a very interesting person who did not leave behind his childhood dream, which he says is to study theology and become a Servant of God.
This he also describes as his mother’s prayer which never left him even when he was going through different stages of life – through the most trying times.
But then, his life has a series of beautiful chapters and celebrating moments like the time he got through HSLC in First Division with distinction in Science in the year 1994. He had his Dad then to advise him when he was sincerely striving to be in the Top Ten list but got sick for a whole month before the exam. He fondly remembers his Dad, who he recalls told him not to worry about sitting for his matriculation exams given his poor health. However, he recovered in time and even came out in flying colours despite not being able to prepare as much as he would have liked to.
Always remarkably intelligent, he was ranked 2nd in his Pre-University Exam in Vocational Music and 3rd in B.A Philosophy honours, both from Patkai Christian College. He topped the Entrance Test for MA Philosophy and gained entry into the University of Hyderabad, emerging later as the University Gold Medallist.
Here is one man who believes in destiny as he decided he would pursue is PhD only if he gets to do it without financial support from family. And coming as strong evidence that luck and blessings favour those who give their best, he not only got through the NET exam but was also awarded UGC-JRF. Interestingly, he also did a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Rights from the University of Hyderabad during this time. It would make anyone feel good that their Coordinator was a member of the National Human Rights Commission.
Venusa went to Singapore in 2007 for greater spiritual pursuits and finished a Master’s Course in Christian Studies from Biblical Graduate School of Theology, which he describes as the answer to his theological quest. ‘I thank God for such a school’, he says, and goes on to credit it for allowing him to realise that ‘the Christ we worship on Sundays was not being worshipped in the workplaces during weekdays’.
“I realised that we are in need of a theology that goes beyond the church walls to the marketplaces,” he says.
Reflecting back, he says, “I used to see myself as a happy go lucky kind of a guy,” and feels that his father’s death was perhaps one of the major turning points of his life. “When I was in the university I realised that I cannot escape from the questions of Naga identity and various political implications that come with it…earlier there was probably nothing I disliked more than tribalism and politics, but then I decided to confront some of the issues of Naga politics head-on,” he states. Towards this effort, he also presented papers on Naga Identity in a couple of National Seminars besides other academic papers related to his area of research and interest.
He also has had his own adventures and accomplished personal milestones that he justifiably holds dear. He recalls being Best Man at his friend’s wedding when he was just 16. He was adjudged winner in the Preaching Competition of Chakhesang Youth talent contest Pfutsero in 1994 in his teens. He definitely stood out among others his age when he captained his school and went on to lead the Troop for the Bharat Scout and Guide during his Highschool days. And at such young an age, he became the Recipient of Governor’s Award in Scout Movement (1994).
His leadership qualities didn’t end in school. He was the Class Representative all through his 5 years stay in Patkai, except the year he served as the Weekly Bulletin Editor and also the Assistant Editor for the students’ newsletter (philosophy) during his MA days. An avid writer himself, he was one of the Columnists for Kuknalim Website before it closed down.
He remembers being a member of the Guitar Ensemble, Patkai Chorale, Ensemble of Praise. “I have almost given up music now, but I still have some interest in painting, oil painting to be precise, and writing free verses,” he says.
Like many poets, he confesses that the first time he tried his hand in poetry was when he fell in love in college, and obviously fascinated by verses and painting, he wishes to grow old with these two hobbies.
But the most striking thing about Venusa to me is how he carried his faith in Jesus all through. He helped revive Naga Christian Fellowship Hyderabad in 2000, which was non-functional for about a year or two due to lack of members. While in Singapore, he coordinated the Naga Fellowship for 2 years and is presently a part of the Naga global organisation - Overseas Naga Association as Joint Secretary.
He recently joined the University of Hyderabad ‘with much prayers and consultation’. Interestingly, he was invited to apply even before he submitted his PhD and was appointed under general category in November 2010. However, he had politely declined then because, in his words, “I was then on a mission to fulfil my childhood dream - to study theology and become a servant of God.”
He adds: “It was my theological conviction/training that ultimately influenced my decision to come back to the University - to be a light and salt in the world. The other factor that contributed to my decision was the number of Naga Students at the University of Hyderabad - there are more than 150 of them at present…it has always been my desire to interact with the upcoming generation of Naga scholars and thinkers.”
And with this, he has begun another journey as a Warrior for Christ.

For the love of the Game

When I first met Hokaito Zhimomi as a student in Calcutta, his zest for Cricket was firmly placed with signs of greater things to come.
By then, he was already so familiar with Eden Gardens, the holy grail of cricket in India. And he obviously nurtured that love for the game as is evident from the heights he has scaled. But regardless, even as a smart, confident and a chirpy Sports Star, he speaks so little of his greater achievements.
Yet, a National Media describes him as a Cricketer “known for his nippy left-arm fast bowling and for his right-handed big hitting prowess…a cricket coach’s ideal model when it comes to athleticism and smart fielding skills.”
Indeed, Nagaland can take pride in producing a home-bred Sports Star for a cricket crazy nation where its mad fans do not mind watching a really lengthy match standing by the roadside, and never minding sharing a small screen even in the humid air.
As the First Naga Cricketer (or for that matter, from the whole of North East Region) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kolkata Knight Riders, Hokaito Zhimomi has certainly carved a niche for himself in the national stage. But the honour didn’t emerge overnight for his relationship with bats, bowling and wickets date back to his childhood.
He has always loved cricket, and it’s easy to take notice when it carries more than a decade of dedication. When you talk to a sportsperson, often, the game takes centre-stage but he also values education as he recalls doing his schooling from St Paul’s and Livingstone School Dimapur respectively. Perhaps, his graduation pursuit from St Xavier’s College, Calcutta, paved way for him to join the Kalighat Club in Kolkata but then he’s been playing cricket much before he joined college.
Prior to that, he played for Flamingo CC in Dimapur and eventually went to Guwahati for coaching wherein, his all round cricketing won the admiration of important people in the field that he was called by the Bengal Cricket Association after he has displayed his skills for several clubs.
Over the years, he has brushed shoulders with the like of Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly, played various matches including the finals of the Tiens Cricket Cup from Sparks CC as Captain, West Bengal under 19, Dalhousie Athletic Club, Kolkata, been Part of Kolkata Knight Riders, 1st Edition of IPL 2005, played for West Bengal both in the state and national level among several others.
For the Captain of a Cricket College Team, including the University of Calcutta in this aspect, Hokaito has come a long way developing himself in the true manner of sportsmanship. It is his aspiration to see sports grow in Nagaland, but he reasonably expresses that as of now, “Nagaland has no proper scope for cricket”.
“Obviously parents will not allow their children to take up cricket as a serious profession for now, because at the end of the day, money matters. Once this situation is changed, it’s going to be different’, he reasons while pointing to his observation that cricket is coming up in Nagaland. “We have a state team now and we will have a very good team”, he is hopeful.
He is a model for an entire sports generation as his commitment seems rooted in one simple goal of being part of the game for the sheer pleasure of it. The 25 year old insists that there are people behind his success as he respectfully holds the inspiration of Kito Zhimomi, Income Tax Commissioner Kolkata, Wati Jamir, Ato Yepthomi, Advisor to CM, the Chief Minister himself, and the Dimapur District Sports Association. He also has the support of his family tree including 3 siblings, a father who is a businessman and a mother homemaker.
The Young Cricketer is based in Kolkata, and plays for Kalighat Club. Fuelled with energy, I believe he serves as an inspiration for many cricket fans in the country, and is a true Sports Icon even for an infant sports-breeding place such as our State.