Nation paid rich tribute to Niranjan Singh Chetri on 131st Saheed Divas. 
Nation paid rich tribute to Niranjan Singh Chetri on 131st Saheed Divas. 
The Manipur State Branch of BGP hosted a tribute function at the Saheed Niranjan Chowk in Kanglatombi, where BGP installed a life-size statue of the martyr, and was inaugurated by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on March 7, 2021 in an event attended by a galaxy of intellectuals, distinguished guests, and several thousand people.
Earthen lamp lighted and floral tribute were paid on the statue of Saheed Subedar Niranjan Singh Chhetri who was hanged on 8th June 1891 at Western Gate of Kangla on the charge of waging war against the British colonial power. Subedar Niranjan who himself was the personal bodyguard of Yubraj Tikendrajit was also given the charge of drilling the Manipuri forces and attended to Sipahis in the service of Koireng Jubaraj Bir Tikendrajit. He had been assigned by the Jubaraj the important task of military preparedness and safety and security of the Manipur Royal Palace during the Anglo-Manipuri Conflict of 1891.
Subedar Niranjan was a Gorkha who was in the service of the British Army. He was an Ex-army (Shiphai) of the 34th Native Infantry. He left the Britishers and joined the native force of Manipur and later appointed as Subedar by the Jubaraj Tikendrajit He was an ex-army (Shiphai) of the 34th Native Infantry. He left the Britishers and joined the native force of the Tikendrajit Jubraj. Shri. Ghanashyam Acharya, who wrote the book "Saheed Niranjan Singh Chhetri the unsung Hero of Anglo Manipuri (Khongjom) War, 1891 with a perspective on contributions and Historical settlement of Gorkhas in Manipur” has highlighted the brief history of Subedar Niranjan Singh Chhetri and according to him he was the first Indian Gorkha hanged by the British.
Ramesh Bastola, general secretary of youth wing of BGP said that the stories of the martyr should be taught in school and university curriculum and published in government gazete martyr list. Roads and Auditoriums should be named after him to immortalise Subedar Niranjan and Government of Manipur should organise a government program on his supreme sacrifice day to pay rich tribute to the great son of the soil.
'Today at the first tribute program after unveiling of the statue erected by BGP, i want to remind CM Manipur N Biren Singh, in his second term to keep promises made in the first term. During his first term while unveiling this statue, CM had committed to erect a life-size statue in the capital Imphal and officially recognize Gorkhas in Manipur like another Indian settled anywhere in India and remove the identity fear phycosis within the community', asserted Ramesh Bastola, national general secretary of Bharatiya Gorkha Yuva Parisangh who is a native of Kangkopi, Manipur.
Shri. Angom Bikram Singh, Member 7-Khurkhul Zilla Parishad, Smt. Meena Bista, Panchayat Pradhan, Kanglatongbi Gram Panchayat and Shri. Laxuman Bista, President Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, Manipur State Branch have graced the function as Chief Guest, Guest of Honour and Functional President respectively along with executives of Manipur Gorkha Welfare Union, Nepali Sahitya Parishad, All Manipur Gorkha Students’ Union, All Manipur Gorkha Ex-Servicemen Association, Manipur Gorkha Youth Association, Kanglatongbi Gorkha Youth Association, and various Gorkha CSOs, Clubs, Women Societies, Social Workers, intellectuals, village leaders and other community leaders have attended the function.
The President of Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh in his presidential speech has reiterated the demand of declaring 8th June as restricted holiday for Gorkha community in the state also to construct a Memorial Statue of Saheed Subedar Niranjan Singh Chhetri at any suitable in state capital in Imphal by the Government of Manipur.
The Chief Guest, Shri. Angom Bikram Singh in his speech declared this day to be a very historic day for the Gorkhas. He also assured to construct a Gorkha museum by donating his own land. Smt. Meena Bista in her speech stressed the need for unity among the Gorkha community living in the state. News of shradhanjali sabhas by the Gorkha community poured in from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Dehradun, Delhi, Himachal and Assam at the time of filing this report.
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