In the railway town of Lumding, located in the heart of Assam, a felicitation ceremony was organized by the fortnightly publication Matiro Manuh to honor Naga woman, T Machapakla Ao, the founder of the Assamese medium school established in 1956.
The chief editor of Matiro Manuh, Rajkumar Baishya, executive president Deepak Mena, director member Minati Sharma, general secretary Prashant Hatimota, social media secretary Sujata Sharma, secretary of Mung-Dun-Chung Kham, Assam, North-East India, Anup Arandhara, president of Nagaland Indigenous People’s Forum Dr. T. Lima Jamir, secretary Kehetu Chumi, Lanka social worker Bharat Tamuly Phukan, and uncompromising nationalist Hasibur Rahman spoke on behalf of Matiro Manuh during the felicitation event.
On behalf of Matiro Manuh, T Machapakla Ao was honored with a “japi”, “gamosa”, “seleng”, and a citation.
Chief editor Baishya also announced during the event that a statue of Ao would be installed in front of the school.
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It is noteworthy that Lumding, a small town situated on the border of the erstwhile Nagaon district and the present Hojai district had no Assamese medium school until 1956, despite its central location in Assam. Children from Naga, Kachari, Karbi, and other communities were reportedly compelled to study in Bengali medium schools. In such an unfortunate situation, a group of enthusiastic young individuals came forward to establish an Assamese medium school in Lumding. Those included late Haidar Rahman, Raunak Ali, Nandeswar Sharma, Kamaleshwar Bora, Bhadrakanta Das, Bhaven Khaound, Raheshwar Hira, and Prahlad Das. These individuals formed a committee to initiate the establishment of an Assamese school and made future plans, but they faced obstacles due to a lack of land. However, just as strong determination can make the impossible possible, a Naga woman named T Machapakla Ao, the then moujadar (land official) of Lumding mouza, stepped forward to assist these young individuals. Her village was adjacent to the Lumding railway town. She donated two kathas of land from her own property for the establishment of the Assamese school.
Consequently, the Assamese school in Lumding began in 1956 and received recognition from the Assam government in 1959. Until it received government recognition, the school operated without any government grants, sustained by the efforts of the young initiators and the Naga benefector. They even took on the responsibility of teaching the students.
In 1960, the “Lumding Assamese High School” was established. Initially, the school was said to have received government aid, and the first headmaster was late Mahendra Pathak. The high school examination centre was established in 1968, and presently, the school is recognized as a government institution known as “Lumding Assamese High School.”
“It is undoubtedly true that if this Naga woman had not donated two kathas of land, an Assamese medium school might not have been established in Lumding even today. Assamese students might still have been compelled to study in Bengali medium schools. Even uncompromising nationalist leader Hasibur Rahman, who remains steadfast in his stance, might have had to study in a Bengali medium school,” a press release stated.
The event also paid respectful tribute to Ao, who donated land for the school, and to the individuals who came forward to establish the school, ensuring they are not forgotten. Expressing their discontent, the leadership of Matiro Manuh stated that it is highly unfortunate that the Assam Sahitya Sabha has not made any arrangements to honour Ao to this day. They remarked that this reflects the organization’s extreme irresponsibility, raising questions among conscious citizens about this unfortunate organization.
