Rapid Fire
Freedom Fighter Hemam Neelmani Singh
- 17 Jul 2025
- 3 min read
Union Home Minister recently paid tribute to Hemam Neelmani Singh, a prominent freedom fighter from Manipur associated with the Indian National Army (INA), during a posthumous felicitation event organized by the Bharat Vikas Parishad.
Hemam Neelmani Singh
- About: Hemam Neelmani Singh was a freedom fighter, social reformer, and former Deputy Education Minister of Manipur. He played a crucial role in India’s independence struggle, especially in the Northeast, and contributed significantly to post-independence educational and linguistic reforms.
- Early Life & Role in INA:
- Born in 1915, Singh was influenced by a blend of Gandhian and Bose principles but was more oriented towards the principles of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and joined the INA in 1944.
- He played a key role in the Battle of Imphal, 1944 and the unfurling of the Indian tricolour at Moirang on 14th April 1944, the first time it was raised on Indian soil.
- He evaded arrest until 1945, was later imprisoned by the British, and released in 1946.
- Post-Independence Contributions:
- As Deputy Education Minister of Manipur, he led key initiatives in education reform and women's empowerment, advocating for improved access to higher education.
- Donated his residence at Moirang Konjengbam for use as the INA headquarters.
- Promoted Hindi as a unifying language in Manipur to foster national integration, and lived austerely, eating only one meal a day until the Science stream was introduced at Moirang College.
- Legacy: Often remembered alongside Mairembam Koireng Singh (Manipur’s first Chief Minister) as inseparable figures in the state’s freedom movement, Hemam Neelmani Singh was posthumously honored by the Bharat Vikas Parishad and the Government of Manipur for his contributions.
Bharat Vikas Parishad
- Bharat Vikas Parishad is a voluntary organisation inspired by Swami Vivekananda, originally founded as the Citizens Council by Lala Hans Raj and Suraj Prakash during the 1962 India-China war to mobilize public support.
- It was renamed Bharat Vikas Parishad in 1963.
Freedom Fighters from North-East India
| Read More: North-East India |
