UKHRUL, Aug. 1: Raising concern over a steady decline in academic excellence within the Tangkhul community, the Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) on Friday honoured 45 outstanding individuals—including 36 Top Performers and nine Top Achievers—at the 6th TKS Top Performers and Achievers Award 2026, while calling for renewed investment in education, discipline and human capital to secure the community’s future.
The award ceremony was held at TBG 125 Hall, TBCA Mission Compound, Alungtang, with 44-Ukhrul (ST) MLA Ram Muivah attending as the Chief Guest. The annual awards recognised students who excelled in the Class X and XII board examinations under the Top Performers category, while the Top Achievers category honoured individuals who distinguished themselves in various fields. Among this year’s recipients were three successful candidates of the Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) Civil Services Examination, highlighting the growing presence of Tangkhul youth in the state’s civil services.
Delivering the presidential address, TKS President Ramreichan Keishing said the annual awards were not merely meant to honour individual success but to celebrate perseverance, recognise excellence and inspire future generations to pursue greater heights. At the same time, he expressed deep concern over the declining number of awardees over the years.
Keishing pointed out that more than 100 students and achievers were recognised during the inaugural edition of the awards, whereas only 45 individuals qualified this year despite the selection criteria remaining unchanged since the programme was launched six years ago. He said the declining figures should serve as a wake-up call for the entire community to strengthen its commitment to education and create an environment where more young people can realise their academic potential.
Congratulating the awardees, Keishing said their achievements reflected years of discipline, determination and hard work. However, he reminded them that recognition also carries responsibility, urging them to return to society with the knowledge, skills and experience they acquire and contribute towards the progress and well-being of the Tangkhul community.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Guest Ram Muivah stressed that discipline, character and education remain the strongest foundations for both individual success and community development. He said excellence in education and every other field deserves recognition because it inspires others to strive for higher standards.
Recalling the history of Tangkhul academic achievement, Muivah reflected on 1971, when four Tangkhul students secured Second Division in the board examinations for the first time, describing it as a milestone in the community’s educational journey. He paid tribute to pioneers such as Dr. S.K. Ngachan, who later became a scientist with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and Louis Ngasainao for paving the way for future generations.
Muivah emphasised three essential principles for success—discipline, the willingness to pay the price for achievement and sustained investment in human resources. He reminded the awardees that every meaningful accomplishment demands sacrifice, whether through hardship, perseverance or relentless effort, and urged them never to lose sight of the value of discipline in pursuing their goals.
Highlighting the developmental challenges confronting the region, Muivah observed that inadequate infrastructure, including poor road connectivity and unreliable electricity, continues to limit entrepreneurship and economic opportunities. Despite these challenges, he said education remains the Tangkhul community’s greatest strength and called for greater investment in human resources.
Drawing lessons from countries such as Singapore and Taiwan, Muivah said both societies transformed themselves into developed economies not because of abundant natural resources but because they invested heavily in their people. Quoting Swami Vivekananda, he further underscored the importance of character-building, expressing concern that many of the moral values cherished by earlier generations are gradually fading among today’s youth.
Among the Class XII awardees, Vashungphi Kaping of Model Higher Secondary School, Kohima, topped the Arts stream among students from other boards with 94.6 per cent, followed by Chumihor Vashai Zimik of Patkai Christian Academy, Ukhrul, with 93 per cent. In the COHSEM Arts category, Nihayu Shingtuidang of KTL Excel Higher Secondary School secured the top position with 83 per cent, while Amy Zimik of Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School stood second with 81.6 per cent.
In the Science stream among students from other boards, Ramreingam Luiram of Narayana E-Techno School, New Delhi, emerged as the topper with 91.6 per cent, followed by Shonhorrin Raising of JNV Jessami with 86.2 per cent. Under the COHSEM Science category, Vimi Raingam of Herbert School, Imphal, secured the first position with 91 per cent, while Komrivinuh M. Solo, also of Herbert School, finished second with 86.2 per cent.
Reaffirming its commitment to promoting excellence, TKS said the annual awards seek not only to honour exceptional achievements but also to inspire Tangkhul youth to pursue academic and professional excellence while contributing meaningfully to society. The programme concluded with a collective call for discipline, integrity, hard work and sustained investment in human resources, with TKS President Ramreichan Keishing leaving the gathering with the words of Proverbs 14:23: “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”
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