Nongmeikapam Gopal Singh was an ardent advocate of education. He rightly viewed education as the primary way to achieve one’s success in life. For this, he exercised his power and lobbied hard for the opening of many schools and colleges in Manipur
KRC TIMES Manipur Bureau
Sanjoo Thangjam
The 52nd Foundation Day of N.G. College cum Founder’s Unveiling ceremony which was organized by the N.G. College Foundation Day Celebration Committee and Founder’s Statue Installation Committee was held at the Jubilee hall of NG College on Thursday, the 22nd December 2022 at Lamphelpat in Imphal West District.
MAHUD and PR&RD Minister, Y Khemchand was the Chief Guest of the event. On the occasion of the 52nd foundation day, MAHUD & PR&RD Minister Yumnam Khemchand unveiled a bust of the founder of the College, Nongmeikapam Gopal Singh. The attendees paid homage and floral tribute to the newly unveiled bust of the founder.
Speaking as the Chief Guest, Y Khemchand Singh lauded Nongmeikapam Gopal Singh for his significant contributions in the field of education and literature. He also played a pivotal role in the establishment of Manipur Sahitya Parishad in 1935, the Minister added.
Y Khemchand also assured to appeal to the authorities concerned and extend the best possible help from his end to add science subjects in the course curriculum of the college as proposed by the former principal of the college.
Y Khemchand stated that Nongmeikapam Gopal College which is affiliated to Manipur University and recognized by University Grant Commissions is an art college in humanitarian and social science. Assuring to extend necessary help to include the science stream in the college, he appealed to the concerned authority to remember him when the situation demands.
Former Deputy CM Y Joykumar, former Principal of N.G. College, L Manglemba Singh, founder family member of NG College, Nongmeikapam Kholchandra Singh, Principal of N.G. College, and Ashok Roy Choudhury also attended the ceremony as presidium members.
Former Deputy CM Y Joykumar also spoke on the occasion. He stated that the N.G. College is one of the most important institutions in the state and urged the students to achieve education for higher knowledge. No development can be brought in a society if there is no proper education, he maintained.
A Brief Profile Of The Founder Of N.G. College
Nongmeikapam Gopal Singh, an educator and social reformist of the early twentieth-century of Manipur was born to Nongmeikapam Durga (Angangmacha) Singh and Chabubngbam Ningol Taru Devi at Pebiya Pandit Leikai, Ningomthongjao, Imphal on May 1, 1884.
His father, N. Durga was employed as Fougei Pannaba of the Maharaj. He also used to do the profession of ‘Lairik Haiba Thiba’ quite successfully. It is the narration of short verses from religious books in Sanskrit and Bengali and translation and explanation of it in Manipuri. At present, this form of Art is almost extinct in Manipur. N. Gopal had one elder sister called Thamjet.
Personally, N. Gopal’s schooling initially was done at Johnstone Primary School and later at Tera LP School. He had studied upto 3rd Standard or Tritiya Shreni as was known then. Studying upto Class Three was a big thing in those days as he was considered to have belonged to the educated elite group of the British period.
