Veteran Naga peace activist Niketu Iralu passes away at 91, leaving a lasting legacy of reconciliation, dialogue and trust-building
KOHIMA — Veteran Naga peace activist and reconciliation advocate Niketu Iralu, who spent more than six decades working to build trust and promote dialogue across political and ethnic divides, passed away in New Delhi on Tuesday afternoon. He was 91.
Born on July 12, 1935, Iralu died on August 18, 2026, reportedly following a cardiac arrest. Sources said he had been unwell and was admitted to BLK Hospital in New Delhi.
A prominent voice for peace and reconciliation in Nagaland and the Northeast, Iralu remained actively involved in efforts to bridge divisions and promote dialogue among communities and political groups. He was a core guiding force of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and also chaired the Naga Reconciliation Commission.
His association with Initiatives of Change (IofC), formerly known as Moral Re-Armament, began in 1955 during his university days at Madras Christian College. He later served as director of Asia Plateau, the IofC conference and training centre in Panchgani, Maharashtra.
In recognition of his decades-long contribution to peace-building and reconciliation, Iralu received the IofC Lifetime Achiever Award in 2025. He was also conferred the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Integration Award in 2023 for his contribution to harmony and cultural and social integration in Northeast India.
Read more: Nagaland’s voice of peace, Niketu Iralu, receives Lifetime Achievement honour
Among other honours, he received the Distinguished Senior Citizens Award from the Nagaland government’s Department of Social Welfare in 2019 and the Rotary Peace Award in 2018 for his efforts in building cross-border community trust. His contributions were also recognised through the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award for National Integration in 2005 and the UN Brahma Foundation’s Soldier of Humanity Award in 2011.
After retirement, Iralu lived with his wife, Christine, at Sechü Zubza in Kohima district. Their home, named Kerunyu Ki, meaning “House of Listening”, became a gathering place for people and leaders from different communities seeking counsel, dialogue and reconciliation.
The Naga community in Delhi has organised a memorial service in his memory at the Nagaland State Guest House in R K Puram on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, according to information received, Iralu’s remains are expected to arrive at Dimapur Airport on Wednesday, August 19, at 3.30 pm by an IndiGo flight. His funeral service is expected to be held on Thursday, August 20.