'Even when they spell my name wrong': Nagaland minister Temjen Imna Along on Press Freedom Day

Nagaland minister Temjen Imna Along used humour to make a broader point on May 3, thanking journalists for spotlighting stories from the Northeast even as they often get his name wrong.

Posting on X to mark World Press Freedom Day, Along listed the many ways his name has been misspelt over the years — “Temjin”, “Timjen”, and “Temken” — and recalled once being described as “the short minister from somewhere in the Northeast”.

Despite the errors, he wrote that he continues to “love the press”, adding that journalists “showed up. To Nagaland. To cover a story that most of India ignores.”

Along also acknowledged reporters who travel to the region to document under-reported issues, saying he salutes “every journalist who travels to the Northeast, who tells our stories, who puts a face to a region many still cannot locate on a map”.

His remarks came as the Indian National Congress criticised the state of media freedom in the country, citing India’s rank of 157 in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index. The party said the ranking places India in the “very serious” category and warned of shrinking space for independent journalism.

“A free press is the voice of democracy, but today that voice is under attack,” the party said in a post, adding that it stands with those who “speak truth to power” and seek to protect democratic values.

Observed annually on 3 May, World Press Freedom Day highlights the importance of an independent media and serves as a reminder to governments of their commitment to uphold press freedom. The day also encourages reflection within the profession on ethics, safety and accountability, while honouring journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

The observance was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993, following a recommendation by UNESCO. It traces its origins to the 1991 Windhoek Declaration, a statement by African journalists advocating for a free, independent and pluralistic press — principles that continue to shape global conversations on media freedom.