Rishang Keishing

Rishang Keishing (25 October 1920 – 22 August 2017) was a senior politician of the Indian National Congress party and a Member of the Parliament of India representing Manipur in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. Keishing served as Chief Minister of Manipur from 1980 to 1988 and from 1994 to 1997. He was from Bungpa village, Ukhrul District, Manipur.

Rishang Keishing
6th Chief Minister of Manipur
In office
14 December 1994  15 December 1997
GovernorV. K. Nayar
Oudh Narayan Shrivastava
Preceded byRaj Kumar Dorendra Singh
Succeeded byWahengbam Nipamacha Singh
In office
19 June 1981  3 March 1988
GovernorLallan Prasad Singh
S. M. H. Burney
K. V. Krishna Rao
Preceded byPresident's rule
Succeeded byRaj Kumar Dorendra Singh
In office
27 November 1980  27 February 1981
GovernorLallan Prasad Singh
Preceded byRaj Kumar Dorendra Singh
Succeeded byRaj Kumar Jaichandra Singh
Personal details
Born(1920-10-25)25 October 1920
Imphal, Bengal Presidency, British Raj
Died22 August 2017(2017-08-22) (aged 96)
Imphal, Manipur, India
Political partyIndian National Congress
Spouse(s)Khatingla
Children6
Alma materScottish Church College,
St. Paul's Cathedral Mission College
OccupationPolitician

He first entered Manipur State's Vidhan Sabha in 1972, winning Phungyar seat, and represented the seat for 30 years, winning the election 7 times. In 2002, he lost in the assembly polls. His son, Victor Keishing, reclaimed the seat a few years later. After his defeat in the state polls in 2002, Rishang Keishing moved to Delhi, representing the state in Rajya Sabha for two terms, 2002 to 2008, and 2008 and 2014. In 2007 he became the country's oldest parliamentarian. He retired from Rajya Sabha in 2014, at the age of 93.

He died on Tuesday, 22 August 2017, aged 96 at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, Imphal, Manipur.[1]

Early life and education

He was born to Rungdi Keishing and Mungshingla Keishing, both belonging to the Tangkhul Naga community in Bungpa Khunou, Ukhrul district of Manipur.[2]

After a year at Kolkata's Scottish Church College,[3] he transferred to the St. Paul's Cathedral Mission College, from where he graduated.[4]

Positions held

Political career

Participated in the Freedom Struggle; attended meetings, etc. as a student during the period of 1945-47; Member, (i) Socialist Party of India, 1947–64, (ii) Indian delegation to Asian Socialist Conference held in Rangoon (Myanmar), January 1953, (iii) Indian National Congress since 1964, (iv) Indian delegation led by late Shri Yashwantrao Chavan to the 35th General Session of the UN held in U.S. in 1975, (v) Indian delegation to attend the 51st Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held at Sheraton, Fiji, 2005 and (vi) Tenth Finance Commission; Founder Head Master of the first High School in the district at Ukhrul, 1949–52; Founding Member and Honorary Head Master, Phungyar High School, 1959–61; Founding Member, (i) High School, Kamjong, 1969 and (ii) High School at Kasom Khullen, 1970; was Chairman, (i) Eastern Border Development Authority and (ii) Barak Development Board, 1995–97; helped to set up, (i) Foundation for Management of Tribal Areas (MATA) in 1998, (ii) Fresh Ginger Oil Processing Pilot Project with technology developed by the NIIST, Trivandrum in 1998 and (iii) Fruit Processing Unit with technology developed by the CFTRI, Mysore (presently being set up).[5]

In 1952, Keishing was elected to the first Lok Sabha representing the Socialist Party.[6] Through his second term in the Lok Sabha, he informed Nehru that he wanted to join the Indian National Congress and remained with the party until his death.[7]

In August 1972, he spearheaded an agreement between then United Naga Integration Council and the ruling Indian National Congress which recognised the vision of a Greater Nagalim, a region that would integrate Nagaland and the Naga-populated districts of Manipur under one administration.[8]

Keishing served as the Chief Minister of Manipur from 1980 to 1988, and from 1994 to 1997.[9]

In 2014, Keishing declared that he would not contest the Rajya Sabha elections after serving two consecutive terms. He said, "I am not interested to continue now."[10]

Personal life

He married Khatingla Keishing in 1950, and the couple had two daughters and four sons.

References

  1. "Former Manipur Chief Minister Died". Northeast Herald. 22 August 2017.
  2. "Detailed Profile: Shri Rishang Keishing". www.archive.india.gov.in. NIC. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  3. "Scottish Church College, Calcutta alumni". www.histropedia.com. Histropedia. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  4. "A short bio about whoever hogs the limelight in a week". The Hindu. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  5. "Rishang turns to 'green' power at 95". Eastern Mirror. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  6. Deka, Kaustubh (30 August 2017). "Rishang Keishing (1920-2017): Understanding the legacy of Manipur's longest serving chief minister". Scroll.in. Scroll.in. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  7. Gupta Kashyap, Samudra (29 August 2017). "Importance of Rishang Keishing — to Manipur and Northeast". The Indian Express. The Indian Express. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  8. Deka, Kaustubh (30 August 2017). "Rishang Keishing (1920-2017): Understanding the legacy of Manipur's longest serving chief minister". Scroll.in. Scroll.in. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  9. "Former Manipur CM Rishang Keishing dead". The Hindu. PTI. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  10. "Keishing not a contender for RS". The Morung Express. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
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