U Tirot Sing honoured in Bangladesh, ICCR Library in Dhaka named after him

DHAKA, Feb 16: India has honoured the valiant spirit of Khasi freedom fighter U Tirot Sing on Bangladesh  soil with a memorial in national capital Dhaka and naming of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations Library after him in a special programme on Friday attended by senior Indian officials and a delegation from Meghalaya led by Deputy Chief Minister S Dhar.

This historic endeavour marks the culmination of concerted efforts led by the Department of Arts & Culture, Government of Meghalaya, supported by key stakeholders including the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, the Indian High Commission at Dhaka, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), and the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC).

The special programme included the unveiling of a commemorative bust, life-size portrait, and thematic murals of U Tirot Sing alongside the naming of the ICCR Library in Dhaka as the “U Tirot Sing Library.”

The initiative began during India@75 – Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) in 2021-22, aiming to honour figures and events abroad resonating with India’s freedom struggle.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma took to X (formerly Twitter) to hail the “Braveheart of Khasi Hills and freedom fighter of Meghalaya”.

“U Tirot Sing Syiem’s valour in protecting his people and his land will forever make him one of the fiercest freedom fighters of the region and the country. We bow to his courage, his sacrifice and his unyielding resolve,” stated the chief minister on his X handle.

The delegation from Meghalaya, led by Deputy Chief Minister S Dhar, included minister Paul Lyngdoh, Metbah Lyngdoh, traditional heads, academicians, artists, civil society members, and members of the press fraternity.

The collaboration between the Government of Meghalaya and the Office of the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh has seen several significant exchanges, further strengthening cultural ties. Local artist Raphael Warjri sculpted the commemorative statue, which took over a month to complete.

Later in the evening, a cultural program titled “U Syiem Tirot Sing – U Khla Wait Ka Ri Khasi” was held at Jatiya Natyashala Milanayatan, Bangladesh Shilpakala, Shegun Bagicha in Dhaka, jointly organized by the IGCC, Dhaka, and the Department of Arts and Culture in collaboration with the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.