The Senior Citizens Association, Nagaland (SCAN) has mourned the passing of Lt. Niketu Iralu, remembering him as a respected elder, valued member of the Association and a steadfast advocate of peace, reconciliation and dialogue.
In a condolence statement, SCAN said it remembered Iralu with “particular pride” as a valued member of the Association. It recalled that on the International Day of Older Persons on October 1, 2019, he was honoured with the Senior Citizens Nagaland Award in recognition of his distinguished contribution and exemplary life of service.
SCAN described his death as an irreplaceable loss not only to the Naga people but also to all those who valued his wisdom, humility and commitment to peace.
“The wisdom of age, when joined with truth, compassion and humility, can become a powerful force for healing and reconciliation,” the Association said, adding that it was particularly proud to have had Iralu as a member and to have had the privilege of recognising his contribution through the 2019 award.
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The Association also acknowledged Iralu’s decades-long work towards Naga reconciliation, including his association with the Forum for Naga Reconciliation, his role as Chair of the Naga Reconciliation Commission, and his lifelong association with Initiatives of Change. Through these engagements, SCAN said, he consistently promoted personal transformation, dialogue, reconciliation and trust-building.
His home, Kerünyü Ki (House of Listening), which he shared with his wife Christine at Sechü-Zubza, became widely known as a place where people from different backgrounds could come together for dialogue, reflection and reconciliation.
Expressing its deepest condolences to Christine Iralu, his children and the entire bereaved Iralu family, SCAN said it shared their sorrow and prayed that God would grant them strength, comfort and peace during their time of profound loss.
The Association joined the people of Nagaland in mourning the passing of a respected elder whose life of quiet service, wisdom and unwavering commitment to reconciliation, it said, would remain an enduring example for generations to come.
