Month: March 2023

Article

Contemporary dance through the eye of Surjit Nongmeikakpam.

- by Yenda News Agency

By James Khangenbam Imphal 8 March 2023

When our body touches something it gets reflected in our mind and we move. Our body and mind are always together. We have learned to bath inside the womb of our mother. When the conceived mother is not happy the foetus felt it. Dance is about how we keep up the senses. We are born as a dancer remarked Contemporary dancer Surjit Nongmeikakpam. Surjit after his B.A Choreography course started performing as a professional artist from 2006 onwards.

Contemporary dance

In his initial stage of being a Contemporary Dancerhe was lacking experience and he made a fusion with some moves from Manipuri dance and Kathak. But he learnt a lot from a Residency (Gati Residency) and it changed his course of career.According to him contemporary dance is a kind of development which helps him bring out the capability of innovation. Human have the capability to sense and predict the weatheruntil electronic equipment invaded to take up the role. And the need to awaken the sense of our body could be achieved by connecting to the body felt Surjit. When he taught kids the tactics of connecting to the body the kids were quite amazed which makes him feel good.

To make people understand contemporary dance they need to see performances. And to develop a piece residency are conducted where performers stays day and night researching on the project. Sharing emotions, introducing about their dancing talents, learning from each other and brainstorming on how they can develop the project are parts of residency conducted. By mentors. 

Surjit is an international artists having performed in Europe and Asia. He has been training students since 2008 under an organisation he founded Nachom Arts Foundation. He owns a dancing studio at his home and a dedicated studio space for contemporary dance practice in Imphal. He always teach his students to be unique by incorporating Manipuri traditional dance moves in contemporary dance.  Surjit also incorporates traditional Manipuri music in his performances. He also have the skill of Manipuri martial art which makes him stand out in his moves and flexibility. 

Surjit opined that contemporary dance movement is new in India but gaining popularity slowly. He had a feeling that people see Contemporary dance as Western dance. But fail to see the concept. He further explained that Contemporary dance is the showing of one’s capability of the body.In classical dance different anatomic personality have to dance the same dance, like a fat and thin person subjected to dance the same thing while it is not in contemporary dance. An individual has different energy and different volume of weight and his comfort in dance needs to be addressed.

He was drawn into contemporary dance as he found it innovative, creative, has feelings and can reflect on social issues. All ofhis works are the expression of what he came across in life. He dances not for the sake of dance but to tell something.

One of his piece ” One Voice’ came after he met traumatic victims at Kolkata. He listened to their stories and learn the root cause of their state of mind.Then he kept on reasoning for his dance movements. Thoughts pour to him like  “How the torturer felt before he torture someone. Is it forced by someone, who is ordering to torture the victim? Is it torturing somebody because that is his job? How the torture is executed how one felt tortured.He continued meeting several victims and digested their woes and played a solo on the theme.One Voice is Torturer and the Victim Dance.He put the two characters together and danced. When he pinch hard on his skin he knew he will feel the pain. He slap himself hard to induce more pain. He toucheshis ear and experience what he felt. After he felt the slap, touch etc. it became very natural to him to dance out his feelings and he go dancing, a dance for the traumatic people. A dance to spread message of how the victims felt. A dance to reflect the mind of the torturer in action. A dance he dance after lots of research not just for beauty but beauty with cause.

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Article

Roads and highway in Manipur

- by Yenda News Agency
Roads and highway in Manipur

By James Khangenbam Imphal 7 March

The road at our localities became higher every time it gets repaired. The durability of it depends on the quality of construction. How high is determined by a comparative height level study with the floor level of the roadside residence which remains constant.

Roads and highway

Road repairing in an assembly constituency has become the benchmark of a dutiful local MLA. While the celebration continues for a decade or two, a situation arises when an elderly man started claiming that the ground level of his house was the highest at one point of time.

I am still curious as to what he will say in the next decade. By then he might not like the rainy season.

As an outcome a suppressed social economy in constructing public infrastructure is becoming an accepted trend. How this menace could be controlled. Who should be held responsible? What corrective measures should be taken? When do we initiate?

Digging out the damaged road before repairing remains the simplest corrective measure. Else the overlapping road layers appear like a compound interest of a huge debt for the residents in the vicinity. As we know road generally is an accepted reference for a standard ground level of a residential area. When it is unregulated a manifested chaos might take place which has already become a phenomenon in Manipur.

In today’s time whenever an individual plans to build a new house he considers to keep a higher floor level with reference to their neighbor. The fear psychosis indicates the absence of public regulation leaving individuals to take up the task of preventing water logging or manmade flood at their individual space from time to time.

Everybody starts assuming that the road will become higher in due course of time. Forget about the residence, even the culvert at the end of the road is kept so high by the contractor assuming it will get levelled with the road level in the years to come. We are in a situation where the public property like road is becoming a threat to private residents.

The idea of a welfare state holds different

The idea of a welfare state holds different. Perhaps a guideline on maintaining the road level is becoming a must.

On the road durability issue, it always stood firm when the drainage on either side holds strong like a crutch. It is more relevant in Manipur with high annual rainfall. But the alluvial soil type in the region and garbage pile ups lead to frequent water logging of roads. Encroaching of land by residents in due cause of time has also make the drains quite narrow.

The drainage system thus remains not fully efficient and water overflows even at a scanty rainfall. When the road remains under water for a huge number of days the outcome is a broken road in just a season or two. Lack of civic sense among the public and irresponsibility from the authority in maintaining proper drainage seem to go hand in hand.

The continuous effort of repairing and breaking is becoming a rhythmic cycle keeping everyone busy at a different time. Hooked in a musical chair of halt and continue over and over again at the cost of both public and private money. Wondering if the phenomenon was different during the time when road construction was absent in Manipur. Roads and wheel can take us to a different level than the indifferent level.

In a positive development the government of Manipur had announced that concreate roads will be constructed in the municipality area which is a welcome approach. The government also claimed that it will save a lot of public money as it will help do away the periodic repairing  of black toppings in the present context. 

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Article

India keen to resuscitate tourism industry; northeast gets focus

- by Yenda News Agency

The Indian government is going all out to promote northeast as a tourist destination. The region had long remained unexplored despite its high potential. Work has started on construction of nearly 40 viewpoints along highways in the Northeast to promote to tourism in the region, according to Union minister G Kishan Reddy said recently.

India keen to resuscitate tourism

Last November, the Union tourism and culture minister announced in Aizawl that 100 viewpoints will be constructed along highways in Northeast region, starting with nine in Mizor am.

He had made the announcement in the Mizoram capital ahead of India assuming the year long presidency of the G20 on December 1, reported EastMojo.

Several G20 meetings are planned to be held across the Northeast region and Aizawl will host one of these.

India is showcasing its power in the world and has “risen” on various indices in the tourism sector, said Reddy, who also holds the portfolio of development of the North East Region (DoNER).

On the tourism specific projects in the Northeast region, he sai d, of the 100 viewpoints which will be constructed along highways in the Northeast region, work has begun on nearly 40 viewpoints.

“We will work with the DoNER ministry and the NHAI for these viewpoints, which will have basic amenities for travellers beside to view for tourists,” Reddy said.

These providing a scenic place These viewpoints will be wayside amenities with toilet facility and a basic cafeteria, and also a selfie point for tourists.

Reddy had also said that his ministry will work together with other promote tourism related projects.

“The BRO (Border Roads Organisation) has built BRO cafes along 75 border area roads in 12 states. Also, the Union Cabinet has given approval to the Vibrant Villages Programme, we will also work to promote it,” he said.

The Tourism Ministry will also focus on tourism infrastructure and amenities under the Vibrant Villages Programme in border villages, the minister said.

The Union Cabinet recently approved the centrally sponsored scheme ‘Vibrant Villages Programm e’ (VVP) for the financial years 2022 23 to 2025 26 with an allocation of Rs 4,800

Overall, the Indian government is focussing a lot on reviving the tourism sector in the country after the pandemic.

To revive international tourism postpandemic and to ensure India is promoted as a holistic destination in the tourism generating markets to increase the country’s share in the global tourism market, the Government of India declared Incredible India! Visit India Year 2023 as its campaign tagline. It was o ver two decades back, in 2002, that the Incredible India initiative was officially branded to promote the country as a destination of choice for the discerning international traveller. Now, using the backdrop of India’s G20 Presidency, efforts are on to re suscitate the industry which went through a rough patch during the period of the pandemic. Incidentally, the man behind the campaign then, Amitabh Kant, is now the Sherpa of the summit which presents loads of opportunities for the travel and tourism indust ry to promote India as a global tourist destination, reported Business World Hotelier.

“The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) promotes India as a holistic destination in the tourism generating markets to promote various tourism products and destinations to increase its share of the global tourism market. The objectives are met through an integrated marketing and promotional strategy and a synergised campaign in association with travel trade, state governments and Indian Missions. The Government continuously engage s with industry experts and other relevant stakeholders and take their suggestions and feedback for promotion of varied tourism products of India,” shares Union Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh.

The Indian travel and tourism industry is, at present, undergoing a paradigm shift as the travellers demand curated and thoughtful experiences. “The millennials today make up the fastest growing segment in terms of spending money on trips and exploring new destinations. They are early adopters not only of tech nology but also experiences, exploring top range options the highest of all generations. This drives the growth of the travel industry and a major chunk of it will be driven by the Indian millennials. As a result, post pandemic pent demand in this largest traveller segment drove the recovery in the travel market in 2022,” stated Singh.

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Article

1st Business Summit commences in Thoubal district

- by Yenda News Agency

By James Khangenbam Imphal Updated Feb27 2023

With the objective to promote entrepreneurs and business owners in Thoubal district, the first Business Summit of Thoubal District Chamber of Commerce & Industries (TDCCI) was held at the Multipurpose Indoor Stadium, Thoubal Kshetri Leikai on Sunday.

entrepreneurs and business owners

The first technical session of the summit was conducted on the topic of “Legality & Compliance of Business”. It was moderated jointly by Kh Krishnan Singh and H Pradeepkumar Singh, with Y Indrakumar Singh, S Joykumar Singh, Ch Sanjoy Singh and UNACCO CMD N Irabanta Singh attending as panellists.

The second session was held on the topic of “Funding of Business”, and it was moderated jointly by Anil Haorokcham and M Sani with Priyobrata Gurumayum, L Premchand Singh and Ch Premkumar Singh attending as panellists followed by the 3rd session on the topic “Successful entrepreneurs of Manipur” moderated by Dr S Keshorjit Singh with Dr Th Dhabali Singh and Dr Kh Palin Singh as the panellists. Later, loan sanction orders from different banks were distributed to the eligible entrepreneurs.

The inaugural function of the Business Summit was attended by Thoubal deputy commissioner and TDCCI chief patron A Subhash Singh as chief guest and TDCCI president Dr N Sharatchan-dra Singh as president, while SP H Jogeschandra Singh, Manipur Chamber of Commerce president Dr Th Dhabali Singh, AMEA president S Rishikumar Singh, BEG president Wangkheimayum Vikram and MMRC Unity Park founder chairman Kh Menjor Mangang were present as guests of honour.

Speaking on the occasion, Subhash, Deputy Commissioner Thoubal exuded confidence that Thoubal district could become an emerging business hub with a number of development projects coming up in the district.

In addition, to the Trans Asian Highway, the restoration of Waithou Pat and Usoipokpi could further lead to development of a tourist spot, he stated, while adding the entrepreneurs could avail this opportunity, especially in the light of the plans being put in place for setting up an industrial estate in the district.

He then urged TDCCI to continue supporting the entrepreneurs, while assuring that the district administration will extend all possible help to deliver the benefits of government schemes to the deserving young entrepreneurs. He also stated that District Administration will provide all possible assistance to young entrepreneurs of the district, the DC urged TDDCI to continue its good work to promote entrepreneurs and help improve the economy of the State.

Mention may also be made that Thoubal district falls under the trans Asian highway and there are couple of market along the highway which indicates a potential for swift growth of economic activity once the proposed Indian railway project till the border town Moreh near Myanmar gets completed. The roadway in the district including the inter village road are well constructed and the transnational highway has recently been talk of the town for its excellence. With good infrastructure and the initiation of business summit TDCCI has added muscle which signals a sign of progress in the District and consequently the State. 

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