Zeliangrong community celebrates Silver Jubilee in Delhi

The Zeliangrong community, one of the biggest Naga communities, recently celebrated its silver jubilee showcasing its rich cultural ethos in New Delhi.

The event held under the theme, 'Engaged, Enlightened and Empowered', was graced by Imkong L. Imchen, Nagaland's Minister of Health and Family Welfare in the presence of Guest of Honour Armstrong Pame, Deputy Commissioner of Tamenglong District, Manipur, and other dignitaries. The community's student union organized the event.

"I congratulate the pioneers of this students' formation for their visionary initiatives. It is historically unfortunate that these people are scattered across three states and that their emotions, their bondage falls in three states - Assam, Nagaland and Manipur," said Minister Imchen.

The president of the Zeliangrong Students' Union, Delhi, Mathiuchunbou Rimai, said, "The silver jubilee celebration is a historic event for the Zeliang community as a whole and shows a great positive message going back to the people at home. Their coming together on one platform from different states signifies a sense of unity and brotherhood. Zeliangrong means Zeme, Liangmai and Rongmei tribes that our ancestors formed since the Makuilongdi where they settled. As of now, the community is settled in three states of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland."

Rich cultural performances, display of vivid and colorful traditions of the Zeliangrong community.

Models walking down the ramp in costumes designed by Sherry Daimai and performances by local artistes and bands like the Red Light Passengers and Jonah Mpamei left the audience enthralled.

Deputy Commissioner Pame said, "It feels amazingly great, the feeling of having achieved my dream. Once, I was a student some fifteen years back. I landed in Delhi in June of 2002 and today to be celebrating it, is an amazing feeling."

He appealed to the students' to take up life's challenges to achieve their goals and dreams.

Pame encouraged all to consider avenues of entrepreneurship and invited youngsters to give ideas and explore possibilities for self employment.

"People who want to bring changes should be the ones willing to take the risk. Today, government has open large business opportunities for entrepreneurship under Skill India, MUDRA, Start-up India etc. There are so many avenues where young people ideas can execute it. You demonstrate that you can do it given an opportunity and explore all these avenues," he added.

As a sign of recognition, the Best Mentor ZSUD Award was given to Mathiupuang Gonmei, for his outstanding contribution to the Zeliangrong Students' Union, Delhi.