Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Chowna Mein has sought teamwork for the collection of data for the “noble job” of identifying the unsung heroes of the state.
He termed the project an important document on the history of Arunachal Pradesh at a meeting with the members of the core committee and sub-committee for the recognition of the state’s unsung heroes. The meeting was held at his official residence here.
The state government had in September formed a five-member core committee headed by Mein to conduct research on the contribution of various personalities of the state in the country’s freedom struggle.
The committee has been tasked with collecting and examining authentic documents, archives, journals, etc., available in the libraries and other places, seeking comments of eminent personalities and others in this regard, visiting places of relevant historical interests and taking steps as deemed fit to give recognition to the unsung freedom fighters of Arunachal.
The research work and documentation, after being compiled and completed, would be forwarded to the state government.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu who has been spearheading the initiative had told the Assembly in September that the state government would build a memorial for all the “unsung” freedom fighters from the state, besides requesting the Centre to also honour them.
Mein on the occasion also informed the members of the house that the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), a captive body of the Union Ministry of Education is planning to conduct a workshop cum seminar in the state early next year as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
He asked Rajiv Gandhi University vice-chancellor Saket Kushwaha and member secretary of the core committee, Dani Salu, to coordinate with the member-secretary of ICHR.
Meanwhile, the house present decided to propose the ICHR to set up a centre in Arunachal Pradesh. Such a centre in the state would facilitate the research scholars and students carrying out research works and studies on the rich history and culture of Arunachal Pradesh, the members of the panel said.
The committee also decided to participate in the live online series on social media on unsung heroes which would be conducted by ICHR.
Earlier Prof Kushwaha presented a timeline to be followed by the sub-committee which shall work under the aegis of the RGU. According to the timeline, the sub-committee will submit the final report by the end of June 2022.
In the meeting, Nepha Wangsa, author of ‘The Nyinu Massacre’ showed the collection of original documents from the national archive of the British Library in New Delhi. These documents will be handed over to the core committee through a formal ceremony at a later date.
The house decided to store it in the state archive of the research department and also to put it on a website after the finalisation of the research and documentation works.
The meeting was also attended by education minister Taba Tedir, advisor to chief minister Tai Tagak, advisor to deputy chief minister Anupam Tangu and RGU registrar N T Rikam.
