PM Modi, CM Rio lead tributes as veteran Nagaland leader Imkong L Imchen passes away at 75

Veteran Nagaland politician and BJP legislator from the Koridang Assembly constituency, Imkong L. Imchen, passed away in Guwahati on November 11 at the age of 75. 

He was serving as the state government’s Advisor for Information and Public Relations (IPR) and Soil and Water Conservation at the time of his death.

Officials said Imchen was admitted to a hospital in Kohima on November 7 following a suspected heart attack. He was later airlifted to Guwahati on November 10, where he breathed his last the next day. A state funeral will be held on November 12 at 9:30 a.m.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in mourning his demise, describing Imchen as a dedicated leader who made remarkable contributions to Nagaland’s growth and welfare. “Imkong L. Imchen Ji will be remembered for his outstanding contribution to Nagaland's development. He had been active in public life for several years and was particularly passionate about the welfare of tribal communities. His legislative and ministerial tenures will be fondly remembered. He also contributed towards strengthening the BJP in Nagaland. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this sad hour,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.

Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla expressed deep sorrow, noting that “in his death, the State has lost a dedicated and sincere leader.” Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also offered an emotional tribute, recalling his close association with Imchen. “He was not only a colleague but also a dear friend. I knew him as a warm, cheerful, and outspoken person who was never afraid to express his opinions and always stood up for what he believed in. He was a visionary leader with the rare ability to connect with people from all walks of life,” Rio said.

Born in Mangmetong village of Mokokchung district, Imkong Imchen began his public life through student activism, serving as chairman of an action panel of the postgraduate student body at North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, and as general secretary of the influential Naga Students’ Federation. He entered politics in 1989 as secretary of the Mokokchung District Congress Committee and was first elected to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly in 2003.

Over his political career, he served multiple terms as minister, holding portfolios including Rural Development, Health and Family Welfare, Power, School Education, Forest and Climate Change, and Home. A former leader in the Naga People’s Front (NPF), Imchen joined the BJP ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections and continued to play an active role in the state’s political landscape.

In his passing, the Ao community and Nagaland have lost a seasoned statesman and a tireless advocate for development and tribal welfare — a void that, as Rio remarked, “will be difficult to fill.”