It is a matter of deep regret that the historic uprising of August 27, 1965—now observed as Hunger Marchers’ Day—barely found a trace in Imphal-based newspapers this year. Thousands of students gathered to pay homage to the martyrs, yet the event did not make the front pages, nor even the inside columns, of most local dailies. The four martyrs—Waikhom Nilamani, Oinam Nabakumar, Nongmeikapam Pramodini, and Laishram Chaobhal—remain immortal in Manipur’s collective memory. They were felled by bullets and bayonets of government forces, and their sacrifice stands as one of the most defining moments in the state’s modern history.
Imphal Times has consistently voiced concern over how this event is slowly fading from public recognition. The question is not whether the day was observed—it clearly was—but why it fails to get space in the press. The answer is stark. Journalists are aware of the day’s importance, but fear the consequences of reporting it. The organizations behind the observance are divided, and newsrooms, unwilling to risk displeasing one faction or another, have chosen silence over coverage.
Instead of confronting this uncomfortable truth, critics turned their ire on Imphal Times. Our editorial carried the names of the martyrs incorrectly, and for that, we were accused of ignorance and disrespect. But let us be clear—we are not unaware of who our martyrs are. Their names and sacrifices are etched in history, repeated in every ceremony, and available in every record. The mistake was not born of ignorance. It was deliberate.
We misstated the names as an experiment—to see whether those organizing and attending Hunger Marchers’ Day were engaging with the larger concern we raised. Would they react to the deeper issue of media silence, or only to surface errors? The answer was obvious. Outrage poured in over the names, but the broader point—that newspapers had abandoned the martyrs—was ignored.
Still, we acknowledge that our experiment may not have been well received. For that, we sincerely apologize. Our intent was never to demean the martyrs. On the contrary, we honor them with the deepest respect: Waikhom Nilamani, killed on August 27, 1965; Oinam Nabakumar, who fell the same day; Nongmeikapam Pramodini, also slain during the protest; and Laishram Chaobhal, who succumbed to injuries on September 26. Their sacrifice remains sacred, and Imphal Times will continue to pay tribute.
But the larger issue must not be brushed aside. When the uprising occurred, there were no student unions. It was from this struggle that Manipur’s student movement was born. Since then, students’ organizations have kept Hunger Marchers’ Day alive, ensuring the martyrs are remembered. Yet, if the media refuses to report it, how will future generations know? History, unrecorded, is history lost.
This silence is not neutral—it is betrayal. Newspapers cannot claim to serve the public while ignoring such milestones. They readily report on petty politics and sensational controversies, but when it comes to remembering the foundations of student resistance, they fall silent. Journalism that cannot honor its martyrs is journalism that has surrendered.
Imphal Times, though a small evening daily with just two black-and-white pages, has not chosen silence. We often go unnoticed when reporting on corruption or government failures, as with our coverage of the “pothole tax.” Yet the moment we made an error, outrage was immediate. This reflects a troubling truth: society is quicker to attack mistakes than to confront uncomfortable realities.
Our flawed strategy of misstating the names was born out of that frustration. Yes, it was a mistake. Yes, we apologize. But the lesson remains clear: unless we confront the media’s silence, Hunger Marchers’ Day risks being erased from the collective record.
The day is not about rituals or processions alone. It is about remembering a time when Manipuri students rose against injustice and paid with their lives. If newspapers fail to carry that story, they betray both journalism and history.
Imphal Times will not join that betrayal. We will continue to remind our people of August 27, 1965. The silence of the press cannot be allowed to become the silence of history. Our martyrs deserve more than token remembrance; they deserve to live forever in the consciousness of Manipur.