Childhood and Education
Late N. L Kinghen (Nchemo Lhota) was born in Changpang Village, Wokha District, sometime in the month of April 1894. He was the eldest son of Late Shanchow Kinghen and Late Takumpula Longkumtzur Kinghen. His mother Late Takumpula was the first Christian convert from Changpang Village which is the second village to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ in Lotha area.
Late Kinghen was admitted to the Impur M. E School and Mission Training on 12-2-1915 and passed Class-VI at the Jorhat Christian H. E. School and finished his studies there in 1924.
Author and Translator
Right from his student days Late Kinghen took keen interest in literary work such as translation and composing of songs. Some of the books written/translated by him are given below.
1. The Lotha Hymn book (Potso Ntho Khen) was translated by him in 1924, along with Rev. I. E Ngullie of Okotos village. These included 14 songs contributed by Mr. Chumdemo Murry and Chichamo Ovung.
2. A small catechism book was translated by Late Kinghen into Lotha dialect and was printed at Baptist Mission press Calcutta in 1928.
3. Late Kinghen authored a book called “ABC Sokaphen Kako” for beginners in 1938, which was duly approved and published by the Deputy Commissioner Naga Hills Kohima. Every Lotha child was introduced to education through this book and was used in schools till the early eighties.
4. He was co-translator of the AESOP’S FABLES.
5. He was the author of “Assam Osi Naga Hills Geography” which was used as a text book in Middle Schools.
Service Rendered for The Naga Cause
1. Formation of Naga Hill District Tribal Council (NHDTC) 1945.
NHDTC was formed in April 1945 on the advice of C.R. Pawsey the then Deputy Commissioner of Naga Hills, with following office bearers:
(a) President -Mr. Mayangnokcha Ao
(b) Vice President - Mr. N. L Kinghen (Nchemo Lotha)
(c) General Secretary - Mr. T. Sakhrie Angami
(d) Joint Secretary - Mr. P. Sentsi Rengma
2. Formation of Naga National Council (NNC) 1946.
When from NHDTC to NNC was formed at Wokha on 20th June 1946, once again Late. N. L Kinghen was elected as Vice President with Mr. Aliba Ao as President.
3. Naga Delegation to meet Nehru at Delhi- 18th July 1947
In the Naga delegation to meet Pandit Nehru, in New Delhi the Lotha tribe was represented by Mr. N. L Kinghen and Mr. Tsayio Kikon.
After his return from New Delhi Nchemo Lotha said “everything seemed to be pointing to a declaration of independence”.
4. The Naga delegation met Indian Prime Minster Jawaharlal Nehru at Jorhat on 20-10-1956 in which the Lothas were represented by
1. N.L. Kinghen (PA. to D.C)
2. Khyothungo Ezung (D.B)
3. Pvuchinimo Jungi
4. Nzio Humtsoe
5. Tsurenthung Murry (GB)
6. P. E Ezung
Other Services Rendered
Following are some of the public service rendered by Late N. L Kinghen in his capacity as government servant.
1. Late Kinghen was the first gazetted officer among the Lothas. The establishment of Wokha Town in the formative years was solely taken care by Late Kinghen as he was the head of the then Wokha Sub-division from 1946 to 1958, and then 1964 to 1965. He was “The Architect of Wokha Town”.
2. The present Government Higher Secondary School was started by the general public of the whole Lotha area as a private school, under the guidance and leadership of Late Kinghen. He even involved his wife and engaged her as the unofficial key holder of the school office and the school chest.
3. Late Kinghen worked painstakingly for educational advancement of Lothas. During his tenure as Assistant Commissioner-I (presently designated as SDO(C) Wokha, Fr. Larrea and Fr. O’ Hara came to meet him on 8th April 1965 about sorting out differences of opinion with the landowners for opening of a catholic Educational Institution. The attitude of the people toward non-Baptist denominational Christians was not as friendly as it is now and convincing all parties was not an easy task. However with the initiative of Late Kinghen the landowners and the general public agreed to the proposal of opening the Don Bosco School Wokha. Many years later Late Kinghen wrote in his autobiography quote “The Lothas still hope that this high school will grow into a college in the near future. The predecessors laid the foundation and successors are doing the construction.”
4. In the days when Wokha was under the SDO Mokokchung, a team of Police Officials came to Wokha and earmarked the present Baptist church site as the proposed site of Police Station Wokha. However, Late Kinghen vehemently objected to the proposal and using his official position, allotted an alternative site and thus salvaged the site for the Church.
5. Late Kinghen was a founding member of the Lotha Literature committee and served as its Chairman till his death on 8-9-1978.
Late N. L. Kinghen served at the Barbhetta Mission Hospital Jorhat from 1933 to 1936. He was then appointed in government service as an assistant in D.C’s office Kohima on 15-04-1936. This was the beginning of a very fruitful and successful span of 33years of government service. (Listed below).
1. Chairman Lotha Tribal Bench Court -1946 to 1953
2. Political Assistant to D.C Naga Hills, Wokha – 1953 to 1958
3. Administrative Officer D.C’s Office Kohima- 1958 to 1959
4. Assistant Commissioner –II Kohima – 1959-64
5. Assistant Commissioner – I (S.D.O Civil) Wokha – 1964 to 1965
6. Additional Deputy Commissioner and Additional District Magistrate, Tuensang- 1965 to 1968
7. Deputy Secretary (R) Home Deptt. – 1968 to 1969
8. Retired as Additional D.C 24.6.1969.
The proof of Late Kinghen’s selflessness can be established in the fact that he does not own even an inch of government land allotted in his name anywhere in Nagaland even though he had the authority for 33 years while in government service.
The members of the family of Late N. L Kinghen would like to place on record their appreciation and gratitude to the government of Nagaland and the District administration Wokha, for naming the road from Nallah near Pisamo Tungoe residence to IOC Nallah as N.L Kinghen Road.
