UKHRUL: A group of ten IAS trainees/probationers from the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) visited Tokpa Kabui Village (Zeihkuluang) under the Loktak Project in Churachandpur district on February 7, as part of their study tour aimed at gaining insights into grassroots governance, hill area administration, education, and the historical as well as socio-cultural landscape of Manipur.
The visiting officer trainees were accorded a warm reception by Gideon Kamei, Chairman and Chief of Tokpa Kabui Village. During the visit, the delegation also toured the Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) located in the village.
In an interactive session, Gideon Kamei briefed the probationers on the governance and administrative framework of Manipur’s hill areas under Article 371C of the Constitution of India, emphasizing its role in protecting the administrative, cultural, and political interests of the hill regions. He also highlighted the longstanding ties and peaceful coexistence between the tribal communities of the hill areas and the Meitei population of the valley.
Kamei further elaborated on the historical importance of Tokpa Kabui Village and its surrounding areas during the Second World War, recounting how villagers were compelled to relocate to distant places due to intense aerial bombardment amid battles between the Allied forces led by the British and the Japanese forces.
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Sharing insights into the village’s heritage, he noted that Tokpa Kabui Village was established over four centuries ago, and explained its traditional polity, cultural practices, and governance systems. He also stated that Naga villages historically functioned as autonomous republics governed by well-defined customary laws and institutions prior to the advent of British colonial rule.
The visit concluded with an interaction between the IAS probationers and the Principal, faculty, staff, and students of the EMRS, offering the trainees a deeper understanding of hill administration, local governance traditions, historical contexts, and the challenges and opportunities in education across tribal and remote areas of Manipur.