Mainstream and alienation

It was a hot, sultry, summer day in 2000. The memory of that day is still firmly implanted in my mind's eye (not because I have a photographic memory but because I wrote it down in my diary).

2000-it was the year I first came to Delhi. I was standing in front of SGTB Khalsa College in North Campus waiting for my friend there. A smart lady probably in her early thirties approached me and asked, "Do you know any PCOs near this place?" (In those days mobile phones were not as common as they were today).

"I'm sorry I don't know", came my reply.

"It's okay. By the way which country are you from?" she asked as she was leaving, curiosity getting the better of her.

"I'm from India, from the northeastern state of Manipur" came my quick reply, slightly annoyed yet amused that she mistook me for a foreigner.

I wasn't prepared for what was coming my way next. She said, "Is Manipur a part of India?".

I was getting really annoyed by now. So I retorted back in anger, "Manipur is very much a part of India, it is on the border with Myanmar."

After she left me, several thoughts came to my mind. This lady spoke impeccable English, and from her looks was probably from an upper class family and she doesn't even know that Manipur is a part of India. And she mistook me for a foreigner because I didn't "look Indian". (If ever there was an "Indian look", and if people from a particular country were supposed to have certain physical features). Anyways, I thought, maybe Geography was never her forte at school (that's how I comforted myself).

This is not a one-off or isolated incident. Most people from Northeast must have had experience of a similar nature at some point of their lives. This incident highlighted the fact that Northeast India remains a neglected region and not seen by many as a part of mainstream India. Who is to blame for this? Both the government and the press are equally to blame for this. Offical apathy and neglect has resulted in underdevelopment, large-scale unemployment and stunted growth of the region. This has led to growing resentment and frustration towards the powers that be which often finds manifestation in drug abuse and insurgency - the two main problems facing the Northeastern youths.

The mainstream media, in most cases, fail to report on news and issues concerning the Northeast region and on the few occasions when they do cover northeast issues, the news reports are often inacurate and distorted. Morever they never make it to the front page of any mainstream newspaper and were hidden away in some dingy corner of the papers. This hostile attitude towards the Northeast is also evident in the school curricula. The history of the Northeast has hardly found space in the school curricula and the geography of the region never given much importance. This attitude is best summed up by Rahul Bedi's (of Jane's Defence Weekly) words "Kashmir is a lot more sexier than the Northeast". The problems facing this region was never given much space in the media. Should we remain a silent spectator to all these? Is there something we can do about this? Isn't it time that we shed our narrow mindsets and parochialism and work towards our common interests. What do we gain by always pulling down each other?

For the sake of an update: Pics

Haven't updated my blog in a long, long time. Been really busy at work. And with no internet connection, let alone a computer at home, haven't really had the time to update. And by the time I went home I am really exhausted. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Puducherry and Chennai on official work. So for the sake of an update, I'll just post some pics I had taken at that time. These are pics taken in and around Ashok Beach Resort, Puducherry.

Cottage, Ashok Beach Resort

Cottage, Ashok Beach Resort

Where is Mautam?

In North East Sun issue dated June 16-30, in the “Letter to the Editor” section, the following letter which I had written in response to David Buhril’s article “Tipaimukh in Hunger-I” appears:

Apropos David Buhril's article "Tipaimukh in Hunger Part-I" (North-east Sun May 16-31 issue), it is disheartening to note that the article deliberately ignores the other subdivisions of Churachandpur district of Manipur and focuses only on Tipaimukh subdivision. It may be mentioned here that the mautam is more or less as severe in the other subdivisions of Churachandpur district (viz. Thanlon, Henglep, Singngat and Churachandpur subdivisions) as it is in Tipaimukh subdivision. This is substantiated by the findings of the Manipur Hill Journalist Union (MHJU), a conglomerate of working journalists based in the hills of Manipur, in their on-the-spot survey undertaken from 14^th to 19^th November, 2007 and endorsed by none other than the Deputy Commissioner, Shri Sumant Singh as well as the Chief Secretary of the state, Shri Jarnail Singh who had communicated the same to the Ministry of Home Affairs. In fact, a Central team led by Shri Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture had already surveyed the area and confirmed the occurrence of famine in the district.

The general populace of Churachandpur are disheartened to know that a magazine of such repute as yours focuses only on the plight of the Tipaimukh people while ignoring the plight of the greater part of the populace. My humble appeal to you is to highlight the plight of the hungry masses from other subdivisions of the district as well.
Joy Tonsing,
Lamka, Manipur

This is the original letter which I had sent to the Northeast Sun, the ones in bold have been deleted:

Apropos David Buhril's article "Tipaimukh in Hunger Part-I" (North-east Sun May 16-31 issue), it is disheartening to note that the article deliberately ignores the other subdivisions of Churachandpur district of Manipur and focuses only on Tipaimukh subdivision. What is even more ridiculous is the writer's claim that Tipaimukh is the "epicenter" of mautam (famine). It may be mentioned here that the mautam is more or less as severe in the other subdivisions of Churachandpur district (viz. Thanlon, Henglep, Singngat and Churachandpur subdivisions) as it is in Tipaimukh subdivision. This is substantiated by the findings of the Manipur Hill Journalist Union (MHJU), a conglomerate of working journalists based in the hills of Manipur, in their on-the-spot survey undertaken from 14^th to 19^th November, 2007 and endorsed by none other than the Deputy Commissioner, Shri Sumant Singh as well as the Chief Secretary of the state, Shri Jarnail Singh who had communicated the same to the Ministry of Home Affairs. In fact, a Central team led by Shri Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture had already surveyed the area and confirmed the occurrence of famine in the district.

The general populace of Churachandpur (known as Lamka by the locals) are disheartened to know that a magazine of such repute as yours focuses only on the plight of the Tipaimukh people while ignoring the plight of the greater part of the populace. Such a myopic, narrow and parochial attitude would undoubtedly harm the long term interests of the magazine while at the same time alienating the people in other areas of the district in particular and the northeast people in general. My humble appeal to you is to highlight the plight of the hungry masses from other subdivisions of the district as well.

Joy Tonsing,
Lamka, Manipur

David Buhril’s reply in the said issue of NE Sun

Dear Joy Tonsing

Lack of time and the absence of roads and transportation did not allow me to tour all the hungry constituencies of Churachandpur. I also mentioned about the other subdivisions and shared problems and issues in Tipaimukh in Hunger-Part I & II. The entire focus of my writings has been on the issues, which still remains unabated today. The geography and other identities are secondary. North East Sun welcomes unreported or under-reported issues from everyone. We look forward to voicing them all.

My take on David Buhril’s reply to me:

Lack of time? He has the time to tour the Tipaimukh subdivision which is in the farthest corner of Churachandpur. So this is clearly a case of lack of intention. He never has the intention of covering the other subdivisions even if time is not a constraint. To reach Tipaimukh, he has to pass through the other subdivisions of the district.

Absence of roads and transportation? To the best of my knowledge roads are not absent in Ccpur district. Guite Road, Tipaimukh Road, Tedim Road and Sugnu Road are the main roads that interconnect the various subdivisions of the district. It is a sad fact that in the writer’s world only Tipaimukh Road exists.

Also the writer never shared problems and issues of other subdivisions in Tipaimukh in Hunger-I & II. I can say this with certainty because I have gone through both the articles. I am not blind, Mr Buhril.

If geography and other identities are secondary, why should the title of the article scream “Tipaimukh”.

SIAMSINTE AW LUNGKE KEI NI

Eimite hi atangpi in sum-le-pai i haksa uhi. Nu-le-pate lehkha siam in siamlou hitaleh tate lehkhasiam di deihlou i omkei uh. Ahidi mah leng ahi. Lehkhasiamna lou in i gam ah khosuahna di taktak a om kei. Huaiziak in siamsinna i pibawl ua, a hoih mahmah. Himahleh mi tamtakte sum-le-pai hakstatna ziak a lehkha sim ut mahmah napi uttan simtheilou a vakthaap mai a, zu-le-khamtheih a kibual te ka muh chiang in puaknat huai kasa mahmah. Hiaite awlmohna ziak in mi khat bek in a phattuampih khakleh chi’n India Government in a thawn a laizil theihna leh scholarship tuamtuam omte bangzah hiam i taklang ding uh. Lehkha sim ut mahmah, himahleh sum-le-pai haksa te adi’n hiai anuai scholarship/scheme tuamtuam India solkal in a patkhiak tampite lak a bangzah hiam i taklang ding uh.

1. National Talent Search Examination

National Talent Search examination ahihleh National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) te conduct ahi. Hiai exam tier nih (2) in a kikhen. Amasa pen in State leh Union Territory ten State Talent Search Exam conduct in amau state quota adi’n selection hon bawl masa uhi. A kigawmvek in mi 3000 khawng NTSE a telthei di’n hon telkhia uhi. NTSE exam ah paper nih (2) a om-Mental Ability Test (MAT) leh Scholastic Ability Test (SAT). Hiai written a chingte face-to-face interview dia sap ahi ua, final selection ahihleh MAT, SAT leh Interview a marks muhdan ah a kinga hi. Scholarship ama a kumkhat a mi 750 piak hisek pen 2000 kum in 1000 a punsak ahi. Hiai scheme paidan 2006 a khek in om a, hiai dungzui in:

· Class X level hisek pen 2007 apat Class VIII a sukniam ahi

· Class VIII MAT leh SAT ah question 90 tuak a omdi

· SAT ah Social Science question 35, Science 35 leh Mathematics ah 20 a omdi

· Telkhiak a omte scholarship kha khat in Rs.500 piak ahidi uh Class IX apat a tunglam teng. Himahleh PhD ah UGC norms durngzui a piak ahiding uh.

· Book grant a omnawnkei

· Parental income limit pen beisak ahita

· Hiai scholarship science leh social sciences ah doctoral level tan leh professional course medicine leh engineering ah piak ahi uh.

NTSE adi’n syllabus a tuam omkei mahleh Class VII leh VIII level ahidi. “Learn About the Test” kichi booklet sample questions omna NCERT website www.ncert.nic.in ah download theih di’n om hi.

Scheme of testing hiai anuai a bang ahi:

Test	Duration	No of Items/Questions	Maximum marks	Qualifying marks for SC/ST/PC category
Mental Ability Test (MAT)	90 minutes	90	90	32 % i.e. 29 marks
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)	90 minutes	90	90	32 % i.e. 29 marks
Interview	15-20 minutes		25	No qualifying marks

Interview dia sap a omte second class railway fare piaksak ahidi uh.

2. Special Class Railway Apprentices

Hiai exam ahihleh Class XII Mathematics leh Physics hiam Chemistry khat zawkzawk a zoukhia kum 17-21 kikal mite adia Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in a conduct ahi. Hiai exam kum nih a khatvei conduct ahi. Hiai a select a omte kum li (4) sung Mechanical Engineering zilsak ahi uh. Hiai SCRA written test ah Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English Language, General Knowledge, and Psychological Test (Mental Ability) tel hi. Written a chingte interview leh medical test a omlai hi. A syllabus ahihleh Class XII CBSE equivalent ahi.

Apprentice ten stipend Rs.4000-4400 scale ala ua, DA toh Rs.7400 khawng apha zou. Kum li training a zoh chiang un Indian Railways ah 1^st Hiai exam kha competition tough mahmah ahi. Aziakchu seat 10 kan omngei kholkei a, himahleh a lutzou te adi’n bel a thawn a laizil, zoh chiang a 1^st class officer hingal maidi. Hoih lotel ahi. Class officer Indian Railway Services of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) Officers in lut ngal uhi.

Scheme of examination:

Paper	Subject	Time Allowed	Maximum Marks
Paper-I	General Ability Test (English, General Knowledge and Psychological Test)	2 hours	200
Paper-II	Physical Sciences (Physics and Chemistry)	2 hours	200
Paper-III	Mathematics	2 hours	200
Part-II	Personal interview (Written a chingte adi’n)		200

3. National Defence Academy (NDA) (www.nda.nic.in)

Eligibility: Class XII zousa hiam zillai, zi nei nailou kum 16 ½ leh 19 kikal pasal te adi ahi.

NDA adia cadet selection paidan anuai a bang ahi:

· Written exam UPSC in a conduct hi

· Interview (Intelligence and personality test) Service Selection Board (SSB) in a conduct hi

· Medical examination Service Medical Board in a conduct hi

Scheme of examination:

Subject	Duration	Maximum Marks
Mathematics	2 ½ hours	300
General Ability	2 ½ hours	600 (Hiai lak ah English 200 marks leh General Knowledge 400 marks ahi)
Total		900

Training National Defence Academy, Khadavaksla, Pune ah nei ua, a stream dungzui un Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi in BA/B.Sc degree piak in om uhi. Training a zoh phet chiang un Army lam ate Lieutenant rank hipah ngal mai uhi. Mi khenkhat in a gendan un hiai NDA through a lutte CDS a lutte sang inle promotion hatzaw chi zomah uhi. Huaiziak in sepaih lam a lunglutte adi’n a hoih mahmah. Nu-le-pa vak ngailou a govt. in degree zil sungteng hon vak dia, huaizoh chia commissioned officer hingal zomah di.

4. Armed Forces Medical College (www.afmc.nic.in)

MBBS a thawn a ziltheihna, zoh chiang a Indian Army a commissioned officer hingal zomah di. Class XII zou kum 17-22 kikal mi, zi/pasal nei nailou te’n exam a pethei uh. Seat 130 a om (pasal 105 leh numei 25). Hiai a chingte Armed Forces Medical College, Pune a kum 4 ½ sung MBBS a zil dua, huaizoh kum 1 internship ahih uh a ngai hi. Hiai a lutte Armed Forces Medical Services ah Commissioned Officer a a sep uh a ngai teitei hi. Hiai toh kisai in nu-le-pa/guardian in admission hun ah bond a sign ngai hi.

Special concession tuamtuam amuhte uh:

• Entitled rations as authorised and subsidised messing.
• Free hostel accommodation and allied services.
• AC 3 Tier railway warrant for journey during vacation from college to home and back.
• First Class/ AC 2 Tier rail Journey on railway warrant after being commissioned.
• A subsidy of Rs.12,000/- per student for purchase of books and equipment during the entire training period. Amount will be issued proportionately during I, II and III MBBS.
• Uniform allowance Rs.6,000/- per student during first year and Rs.1,250/- per year as maintenance allowance in subsequent years.
• Hair Cutting/Hair Cleaning Allowance of Rs.40/- per month per student.
• Stationery allowance of Rs.1000/- per cadet per year.
• Washing allowance Rs.120/- per student per month during the term and Rs.20/- per month during break.

Huaiban ah B.Sc (Nursing) le AFMC apat mah in ziltheih lai hi.

5. CENTRAL SECTOR SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME OF TOP CLASS EDUCATION FOR ST STUDENTS (www.tribal.nic.in)

Hiai scholarship thak Finance Minister P.Chidambaram in 2005-06 Budget Speech a a luikhiak thak, academic year 2007-2008 a zatpat ahi.

ST student family income Rs. 2 lakhs sang a tamzolou institution telkhiak a omte a admission mute kiang a piak ding ahi.

Hiai scholarship in a huamkhakte:

· Government/Government-funded institutions te ah full tuition fee ban ah non-refundable fees piaksak di. Himahleh private institutions te ah Rs.2 lakhs tan leh Commercial Pilot Training nang in Rs.3.72 lakhs ahidi.

· Living expenses a tamtawp in khakhat a Rs. 2200/- tan

· Books and stationary Rs.3000/- per annum

· A course zil sung un computer leh accessories man di’n Rs.45,000/- tan

Institute khat in scholarship 5 (nga) tan, a vekpi in scholarship 635 kumkhat sung a piakkhiak ahidi.

Tulel a hiai scheme in a cover course te ahihleh Engineering institution 52,management institute 21, law institute 5, medicine/dentistry institute 13 leh specialized stream institute 36 ahi a, avek in institute 127 cover hi. Engineering ah IIT, NIT, NERIST, IIIT, etc, Management ah IIM, FMS, Symbiosis, etc, Law ah NLSIU chihkhawng cover kha hi. Hiai omdan tak ahihleh India adia institution hoihteng cover kha vek. A lunglutte adi’n sum neilou chihte omnawnlou a India a institution hoihpente a lut ziahziah di hitamai ahi. Bank loan khawng le ngaise lou a Ministry of Tribal Affairs te’n scholarship hon pe du ahi. I hamphatna uh khahsuah kei ni.

6. RAJIV GANDHI NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP (RGNF) FOR SCHEDULED CASTE/SCHEDULED TRIBE CANDIDATES (http://ugc.ac.in/financialsupport/rajivgandhi_scst.pdf)

Ministry of Tribal Affairs leh Ministry of Environment and Forests te’n hiai scholarship apiak uh ahi. Hiai scholarship M.Phil leh Ph.d. full time a zil ut/sawm Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences leh Engineering & Technology ah piak ahi. SC te ad’n 1333 leh ST te adi’n 667 kumkhat a piak ahi.

Fellowship	@Rs.8000/-p.m. for initial two years @Rs.9000/-p.m. for remaining tenure	RGNJRF RGNSRF
Contingency A	@Rs.10000/-p.a. for initial two years @Rs.20500/-p.a. for remaining tenure	Humanities & Social Sciences
Contingency B	@Rs.12000/-p.a. for initial two years @Rs.25000/-p.a. for remaining tenure	Sciences, Engg & Technology
Departmental Assistance	@Rs. 3000/- p.a. per student to the host institution for providing infrastructure	For all disciplines
Escorts/Read assistance	@ Rs. 2000/- p.m. in cases of physically handicapped & blind candidates	For all disciplines
HRA	As per rules of the University/ Institutions

7. SCHEME OF COACHING FOR SCHEDULED TRIBES

Ministry of Tribal Affairs in singtangmi te competitive exam a lohchin theihnang in hiai scheme pankhia hi. Hiai scheme nuai ah solkal in a telkhiak coaching centre te ah ST te adi’n coaching fee piaksak uhi. Hiai scheme in a cover khak course te:

(a) Civil Services Examination/State Civil Services Examination.

(b) Entrance Exams for Medical, Engineering, MBA and other professional

courses.

(c) Other exams conducted by U.P.S.C. like CDS, NDA, etc./Staff Selection

Commission Exams/Subordinated/Lower Subordinate Services Exam,

Central Excise, etc.

(d) BSRBs/RRBs, General Insurance Corporation, etc.

Hiai a telthei ding in competitive exam piaktheihna dia qualification nei, family/self income kumkhat a Rs.2.50 lakhs tan te’n apply thei ding hi. Competitive exam khat adi’n candidate khat in hiai scheme khatvei chauh avail thei ding a, avekpi in competitive exam nih adi’n coaching a lathei ding hi.

Huailou in UGC NET/JRF exam bang leng omlai a, huai ah JRF a qualify te’n M.Phil/Ph.D zil nang grant/fellowship (khakhat a Rs 12,000 a punsak ahita) mu ua, lecturer dia le qualify ahingal uhi. Hiaite ban ah a scheme/scholarship dang tampi leng omlai ngei din a gintak huai. Tulai khovel ah lehkhasiam te adi’n sum-le-pai pen a buaihuai pen hinawnlou ahi. Adiakin professional course zil nang a institute hoihdeuh e.g. IIT, IIM, FMS, XLRI leh adang dang a lutzou te adi’n student/educational loan pedia bank te kituh mai uh ahi. Hiai facilities/scheme tuamtuam omte ei Zomite’n bangchi’n I phattuampih thei dia?

“Khaile lawm aw masuan ni

Lungke lou in pang ve ni”

Racist remark, yet again

"Walk into a spa which has music, scented aroma candles, but here you'll meet a professional doctor rather than a Linda from the North-East. And order for yourself a quick botox, lunchtime peel, nip-and-tuck liposuction or a nose surgery. " writes Nona Walia her article "Spa with a difference" in page 3, of Times Life, Times of India's Sunday supplement on 2nd March, 2008. I didn't read it in the newspapers though I have been a regular reader of the Times of India for the least eight years. I got to know it from sms newsgroup "Zogam Thuthang" delivered right to my inbox only in the afternoon. I never expect a newspaper of such repute as the Times of India will ever publish such a derogatory remark against a community. I am hurt. I know this is not the first time that the Northeasterners are depicted in such a bad light by the media, and it wouldn't be the last. The media, the very people who are supposed to dispel the myths of the ignorant masses, have failed their noble profession, once again. Sometime ago, when a certain Mr Kumar Vikram wrote a very, I repeat, very disgusting article about Northeastern girls, I felt anger raging inside me. I immediately shoot of an email to the writer the moment I read that article. This time I am not sending any email to the writer. Others like Hoihnu Hauzel, a reputed journalist from our community had already done that. But it hurts that I have been a regular reader of the paper for eight long years, from the first time I set foot in Delhi. What are the editors doing anyway? I am sure the article must have passed through at least a couple of editors before it came out in black and white. Maybe they didn't notice the racist slur in the article, or maybe they are just a bunch of racists, like the writer of the article.

I will reproduce here, once again, the mail sent by Hoihnu Hauzel to Nona Walia, the author of the article:

Dear Nona,

Just a few weeks ago, we read a disturbing racist report in a national paper on how NE girls are accused of being drug peddlers. Your Sunday story "Spa with a Difference" is yet another example of how media is so callous in its approach to loosely make stark racist remark against a particular community. Quite unmindful of the fact that we live in a country which is so colourful and diverse like no other country in the world.

"Walk into a spa which has music, scented aroma candles, but you'll meet a professional doctor rather than a Linda from the Northeast."

I don't quite see the connection between "a Linda from the Northeast" and your attempt at telling a story on a booming trend on medispa. In fact, I will be quite happy if you can enlighten me with the link between the two.

If I am correct, it seems you were trying to refer to Linda, the nurse from Manipur, who was recently held for her supposed role in the kidney scam. Anyway, you must understand that there is a black sheep in every society and we, as supposed members of the media, cannot effort to be prejudice and racist.

In fact, it may be worthwhile for you to know that of the service industry in the country and particularly in the Capital city is employing people from the Northeast like never before. This is simply because people from the Northeast are considered assets to the organization. First of all, because they are non-political, hard working, do not shamelessly market themselves and are silent workers, among many other qualities.

The two smiling ladies who usher you in each time you walk into The Imperial (hotel) are from the Northeast. The ladies, who serve you your pasta at Flavors, Big Chilled, among others, are from the Northeast. Similarly, the oriental looking sensitive masseurs in all the spas around the city are actually from Northeast and not quite from Thailand or Indonesia. We ought to look at the positive side of every community. And especially in the case of Northeast, which has a perpetual grudge that they are being given a step-motherly treatment in their own country, we ought to be responsible and sensitive.

While am trying hard to figure out why you have made that reference, I would like to let you know that as responsible people form the media, we ought to be sensitive about sentiments of other communities. After all, India is a diverse country. It would be incorrect, if the media loosely make such remarks.

Your reference to NE is in your story is ugly and cruel. It is hurtful and negative to the community. To me and many members of the civil society, your reference reflects ignorance and insensitivity.

Warn regards,

Hoihnu Hauzel
Gurgaon