Our Correspondent
Imphal, Nov. 14 (EMN): One-day national conference on Tribal Heroes in India’s Freedom Movement was held at GP Women College in Imphal on Monday.
Manipur Governor La Ganesan along with Joint Secretary Konthang Touthang of NCST, national Coordinator PV Radhakrishna of Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Vice-Chancellor Prof N Rajmuhon of Dhanamanjuri University, Lt. General (Retd) K Himalaya were present during the national conference.
The conference was organised by Dhanamanjuri University under the aegis of the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes (NCST), New Delhi.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the conference, Governor Ganesan said the government at the Centre and the state are making relentless efforts for improving connectivity in the tribal areas and strengthening their standard of living during the last many decades.
Reiterating that the government is committed to all round development of tribals in the country, the Governor said, “The freedom we enjoy today was not attained only by the movement of a handful of people. The brave heroes belonging to the tribal communities contributed significantly to the freedom struggle. We should always remember that numerous tribals who fought the oppressors to attain freedom.”
Remembering the great tribal freedom fighters like Rani Gaidinliu, Birsa Munda etc, Ganesan said, ‘the history of tribal heroes has been all-encompassing and all-embracing. Therefore, the youth should be made aware of the life and values of these heroes’.
He further said that many of the protests against the British were led by tribal heroes.
‘The efforts made by the NCST New Delhi to organise such an important event as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is, indeed, commendable and praiseworthy’, he added.
Governor also opened a photo exhibition as a part of the conference which was attended by tribal delegates and students.