Dimapur, April 18 (EMN): A book ‘In no strange land’ was launched at the centennial birth anniversary of Thepfurüya Haralu, who was the first Naga recipient of the Padma Shree in 1964 under the civil category.
The collected writings are a tribute from some of the people who knew him and his children’s memories of a father, an update stated.
It may be mentioned that Thepfurüya Haralu was an officer of the Indian Frontier Administrative Service (IFAS) in the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA). In 1959, Thepfurüya was involved with the rehabilitation of the first wave of Tibetan refugees who came across to India with the Dalai Lama. Hewent on to become the first Deputy Commissioner of Kameng district from 1963 to 1966.
He served briefly as Secretary of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, before becoming the first Naga Deputy Commissioner of Kohima district in May 1967, a post he held until his resignation from the office in August 1968.
Thepfurüya Haralu was the eldest son amongst eight children of the first Naga doctor Dr. Harielungbe, popularly known as Dr.Haralu, and his wife Rükhrieü from D-Khel of Kohima village.
He married Lhusileü who passed away in 2015. She was the eldest daughter of A Kevichusa. Together they raised four daughters and three sons, one of whom passed away in 2018. The couple is survived by 23 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.