Naga Mothers' Association president Vilanuo Angela Yhome dies at 67 after illness, leaving behind decades of leadership and peacebuilding.
KOHIMA — Vilanuo Angela Yhome, president of the Naga Mothers' Association (NMA), passed away on Friday morning after a period of illness. She was 67.
A Requiem Mass and funeral service will be held at 10 am on August 1 at Christ the King Church, Kohima village.
Born on June 5, 1959, to late Zetseilie Yhome and Zakietuoü Yhome, Yhome was widely respected for her decades of service to the Church and Naga society. She assumed office as NMA president on August 16, 2023, and served in the post until her demise.
Beyond leading the NMA, she was a long-serving member of the Naga Mothers' Peace Committee, dedicating decades to peace-building efforts among the Naga people. She also served as a board member of the Cradle Ridge Centre for many years, was general secretary of the Tenyimia Women Union, and actively contributed to the Global Naga Forum, working for the welfare and unity of Nagas across borders.
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Yhome also rendered significant service to the Catholic Church. She served as president and later advisor of the Nagaland Catholic Women Association, was a member of the Bible Review Committee, and represented the Council of Catholic Women of India as a board member from 2015 to 2023.
Within the Catholic Association of Nagaland (CAN), she served as joint secretary and general secretary during the 2000–2003 tenure and later as chief election commissioner in 2015–2016. She was widely acknowledged for her dedicated service and significant contributions to the association.
She also broke barriers in community leadership by becoming the first woman to serve as joint secretary of Lhisema Council, Kohima village, before later being elected its secretary.
An alumna of Little Flower School, Kohima, she graduated from Kohima College and earned a Bachelor of Education degree from NCERT. After a career in teaching and educational administration, she retired from government service.