Ramkuiwangbe Jene Named for Padma Shri

GUWAHATI: Out of the 106 names declared as the recipients of the Padma Awards for the year 2023, three are from the Northeast Indian state of Assam. Hemoprova Chutia and Hem Chandra Goswami have been named for their contributions to the field of arts while Ramkhiwangbe Jene has been named for his activities in the field of Social Work.

Ramkuiwangbe Jene is a Naga person who is native to the Dima Hasao region of Assam. The 75-year-old is best known for his work in the field of education, especially for the children and the women of the region. He is also considered a saviour by many of the followers of the Heraka way of life. And that is why he has been chosen as a recipient of the fourth highest civilian honour of the country, the Padma Shri.

Bharat Ratna is the highest honour that can be given to any civilian by the Governement of India. This is followed by the Padma Vibushan, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Shri, which are collectively called the Padma Awards. The Padma awards were declared on the eve of Republic Day like the previous years. While the awards are expected to be handed over to the recipients sometime in the month of March.

Ramkuiwangbe Jene is popularly known as the Hero of Heraka among the people who know him. He spent the entirety of his life towards the protection and preservation of the almost unknown Hereka faith. He was also instrumental in the transcription of the "Tingwang Hingde", which is known to be the religious text for the Heraka faith.

Heraka is a religious organisation that was founded by Haipou Jadanang, a Naga Spiritual Guide and a political activist from Manipur. The faith emphasises the existence of a supreme god by the name of Tingkao Rangwag. Although the existing religion of the land had acknowledged the existence of this deity as the creator god, the role of the deity in the daily life of the people was considered to be negligible when compared to some of the other deities. Apart from protecting the Heraka faith, Ramkuiwangbe Jene also helped in its propagation through awareness campaigns and programs.

The social worker was also responsible for the setting up of ten schools for education at the primary level while advocating the education and upliftment of women in the region. His name being announced as a recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri has both great happiness to the people of the region and the state as a whole.

Also Read: 106 Padma Awards Declared for 2023: Complete List

Also Watch: