NEC member, Prof. Gangmumei Kamei passes away at 77

Imphal, Jan. 5: Manipur’s distinguished academician-turned-politician Prof. Gangmumei Kamei, who was a member of North Eastern Council (NEC), passed away Thursday morning following a prolonged illness at his Majorkhul residence in Imphal. He was 77.

Many political leaders of the state condoled the demise of Kamei, a retired Professor of History, Manipur University (MU) widely hailed for his excellence as an educationist and researcher in subjects related to the northeast.

Prof Kamei acquired MA (History) from Guwahati University and was a University gold medallist. He was the founder general secretary of Zeliangrong People Conventionof Assam, Manipur & Nagaland.
He served as a lecturer in DM College and latter served as professor in MU. He was a nominee of President of India in the Academic Council of Nagaland University besides being a member of Academic Council of the University of Arunachal Pradesh (now Rajiv Gandhi University) and some bodies of NEHU, Shillong. He also served as Director, Institute of Civil Services Examination, Co-ordinator, UGC Centre for Tribal Studies and Co-ordinator, Inter-disciplinary Studies, Manipur University.

He entered politics and contested from Nungba constituency under Tamenglong district as an Independent candidate twice. Later in 1995, he was elected as MLA on Federal Party of Manipur (FPM) ticket from. He was the founder president of FPM and held the portfolio of Higher and Technical Education minister during the chief ministership of Rishang Keishing. He was also the minister of Forest & Environment, Law & Legislative Affairs during the chief ministership of Wahengbam Nipamacha Singh. He is survived by his wife, three sons and one daughter.

Condolence messages

Chief minister, TR Zeliang issued a condolence message on the death of Prof. Gangmumei Kamei. “In his sudden demise, the country has lost a literary luminary, the northeast region, a true son of the soil; Manipur, an altruist social worker, the Zeliangrong people, one of its brightest and most brilliant members; and I, a guiding beacon to whom I looked up to,” Zeliang stated.

The union minister of state (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh also condoled the passing away of Kamei.

The Minister said that he will not only be remembered as a Professor, but also as a writer and historian whose area of specialisation was regional history of Northeast India and history of Manipur.

The NSCN (IM) Zeliangrong Region, in a condolence message, recalled that Kamei ‘had led the Zeliangrong people with utmost sincerity and dedication in various capacities.’