SHILLONG:
Minister in-charge Arts and Culture Sanbor Shullai on Monday said a life-size statue of the legendary freedom fighter of the Jaintias – U Kiang Nangbah will be erected on a land belonging to the transport department at Mihmyntdu village.
The decision was taken after a meeting held with a joint delegation of the Kiang Nangbah Iasiat Khnam Memorial Society (KNIKMS), Synjuk Ki Waheh Chnong, Jowai and Jaintia Students Union (JSU).
Shullai informed that he had spoken to the transport minister Dasakhiat Lamare and requested for allotment of the land for the purpose. “Accordingly we have suggested the delegation of KNIKMS, JSU and Synjuk to send us a joint petition addressed to the transport minister and arts & culture minister and a copy to the deputy commissioner so that we will go to the spot and we will see how much land is required for installation of the life-size statue of U Kiang Nangbah at Mihmyntdu,” he said.
Earlier last week, the minister had conducted a joint inspection of Mihmyntdu village after receiving a proposal from the three organizations. Principal of the Kiang Nangbah Government College, Jowai Meena Blah was also present during the inspection. “We have identified a big junction at Mihmyntdu along the national highway leading to Silchar for erecting the life-size statue and to also name the place as U Kiang Nangbah square,” he said.
Regarding the ongoing constructions of the life-size statues of the three freedom fighters of Meghalaya – U Tirot Sing, U Kiang Nangbah and Pa Togan Sangma, Shullai informed he had recently convened a meeting with the relatives of the three freedom fighters. “We have decided to incorporate the suggestions given by the relatives of U Kiang Nangbah that the statue be made as per the stamp of legendary Jaintia freedom fighter and U Tirot Sing and Pa Togan Sangma as per the photos published in the Meghalaya Calendar,” he said.
On the status of the proposal to erect a statue of U Tirot Sing in Dhaka, Bangladesh is concerned, the arts and culture minister said, “I will again send one DO letter to Dhaka and also copy to the external affairs minister because there are two cultural complexes at Indian Embassy at Dhaka and therefore, they have to identify whether they will erect the statue at the old or new cultural complex.” Shullai added that once the matter has been finalized, he will accordingly lead a delegation including relatives of U Tirot Sing to Dhaka.