“Please bring him and his wife safe and sound to Somdal. I have been praying for our political movement but this time I pray for his safe homecoming” Khanot Ruivah.
Khanot Ruivah, former Principal of Pettigrew College, Ukhrul, one of Muivah’s closest friends from his village Somdal stated that, “Thuingaleng Muivah is a man of strong determination and exceptionally different in many ways.” Their strong bond of friendship was obvious from his narration. No appendage or formal prefix was used to address Th. Muivah. There was no Ato Kilonser or Avakharar, just simply “Thuingaleng Muivah” as he knew him from his childhood.
This is how Khanot Ruivah narrated, “I am from Somdal. I was born in 1939. I am running 87 years of age. I was a Principal of Pettigrew College. I was one of the first few to get education among the Tangkhuls including Somdal village. My friends from my village include Th. Muivah and Yaruingam Shimrang who was killed by the Khaplang group. There were many other friends from my village but I want to share about Thuingaleng Muivah. He was older than me by a few years but we were very close. Since, he was older, he would guide me in everything that we did and I followed him.
“He passed his matric in 1956 from Ukhrul High School, the only school in Tangkhul area at that time. As for me, I passed my matric from Somdal High School in 1960. Thuingaleng Muivah passed his intermediate equivalent to Higher Secondary certificate from Union Christian College, Barapani, Shillong in 1958. I was also studying my intermediate in UCC but I shifted to St. Edmunds. I cleared my intermediate in 1962. By 1960, Muivah had already received his Bachelor degree with honors in Economics. I also received my Bachelor degree in 1964 with honors in Economics. In those days, political science and economics were in the same department. We were just the two people among the Tangkhuls who graduated with honours. It was very rare in those days.
“Thuingaleng Muivah went on to receive his Master degree in Political Science from Guwahati University in 1962. I also got my master degree from Guwahati University in 1966. This, we shared very close bonds because we came from the same village and continue to study in the same place.
“I do not remember the exact time but I think it was in August or September of 1964 that he joined the Naga underground movement. So if we are to count, it is now 61 years that he joined the underground movement. I recently read in the newspaper where his younger brother had mentioned that the last time he was home was in 1973 which would mean that it is now 52 years since he came home. The last time I met him was in January, 2022 at Dimapur. Prior to that, my whole family except for my son that is I along with my wife, two daughters and a grandchild went to visit him when he had just returned to India. We do not meet regularly but I had visited him a few times at Hebron. If I remember correctly, it was in January 2022 when I visited him, he appeared a little frail with weaker hearing ability. That was our last meeting in Dimapur.
“I was not expecting him to come home. I have not thought of it either. But, I was hoping that we could meet at least once before we die. And now, since the day I learnt that he was coming home, I have been praying to God everyday that “he is my closest friend. Please bring him and his wife safe and sound to Somdal.” I pray that he and his wife are blessed with long lives. I have also been praying that the Naga political process may be settled between India and the Nagas in his lifetime.
“Now, when I count those who are older than me in my village, there are just six of them including Thuingaleng Muivah. I also belong to the aged category. We could be gone anytime. It is upto God. So today to know that my beloved friend, Thuingaleng Muivah is coming home is all part of God’s plan. I know that we will meet happily. Probably, the people will be welcoming him in a public gathering in Ukhrul. I will not be attending that. But, I plan to meet him in Somdal.
“All these years, 61 years, we are going to meet in Somdal. How great would it be for us to meet before we die! I am definitely, looking forward to meeting him in Somdal. I have been praying for our political movement but this time I pray for his safe homecoming.
“I am grateful that the (Indian) government has agreed to his homecoming. Many Meiteis are also welcoming his homecoming; that he deserves to come home as a leader of the Naga people and I am grateful to God for this.
“May God be with him. May they live a long life. He must have been around 27 or 28 years of age when he left home. At that time, he told me that he was leaving and advised me to take care of our village. I still feel very sad when I remember this. All these years God has been with us. In spite of my disability, I am fine. So is he. God has been merciful.
“He is a man of determination. Once he decided he would do something, he set out to do it, not afraid of death. He is someone who aims to succeed once he sets out on a mission. When we were young, we used to walk on stilts. There was one steep slope. I could not climb its steps but he could reach the top. He never failed once he decided on something.
“Even when we flew kites, his flew the highest. He was older and wiser by age and we used to follow him around doing whatever he did. I feel very sentimental when I remember those days.
“During college days we would hang out together. St. Anthony College was not far from St. Edmunds. And there were many Nagas from Nagaland studying in Shillong, more than those from Manipur. He was already into Naga politics. And sometimes when we hang out watching movies, there are scenes such as the hero stopping knife attacks, holding it with his first. He would say, “that is it. Keep fighting.” He appreciated all this. He was exceptionally different in many ways with a keen interest in politics”.
