Trends of Education among the Meitei Pangals

By – Dr. Makakmayum Baadshah
Modern educational trends started in India when Warren Hastings, the first Governor- General of the East India Company established the Calcutta Mohomedan College (also known as Calcutta Madrassa or Aliah Madrassa) in October 1780 and introduced English there in 1826. In 1821, the annual examination of the institute was held in the presence of many respectable officials and gentlemen of Calcutta and this became the first public examination held in British India. Kazi Jan Muhammad Makakmayum was educated at this Calcutta Mohomedan College and completed Kamil course; and during the Burmese (Ava) invasion in 1819-26, he fled to Cachar from where he came as a commanding Subehdar in the Gambhir Singh Levy of 500 aided by the British, and Kazi Jan Muhammed was a noble and officer at Kangla during the reign of Manipur kings Gambhir Singh, Nara Singh and Chandrakirti who appointed him in various posts as Subehdar, Kazi, Man Hanjaba and Hajari. His son Haji Lal Muhammed also did Kamil course from Calcutta Mohomedan College, became the Naharup Hanjaba and fought in the Khongjom War in 1891.
Modern education started in Manipur with the establishment of the Johnstone School, Imphal in 1885. The first Matriculates among Meitei Pangals were Dr. Abdul Ali Makakmayum (son of Lal Muhammed) of Lilong and Raushan Ali Nongjaimayum of Keikhu in 1920 who both, after primary education from Johnstone School, appeared at Matriculate examination from Sylhet Government High School under Calcutta University.
Abdul Ali after passing the matriculate in 1920 went for medical education to Berry White Medical College, Dibrugarh where he got the admission in the same year and undertook a five year medical college till 1924 for what was then known as the License for Medical Practice (LMP) since MBBS was not existent till then which started from 1956 only. Abdul Ali became the first Graduate in Medical Science in 1924 and became the first State Doctor (Asst. Surgeon I) of Manipur from 9 July 1925 to 24 May 1955; and then became Asst. Secretary of India (Home) to the Government of Manipur from 24 May 1955 till 16 March 1956. Dr. Abdul Ali donated the land plot for Idgah at Lilong Heinou Makhong in 1938, and established the Abdul Ali Middle English Junior Government Madrassa at Lilong Bazar in 1942 and was recognised and registered as such by the Inspector of Schools of Manipur in 1944. While Raushan Ali Nongjaimayum became a Veterinary Doctor of Manipur after passing Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (VMS) as Graduate from Bengal Veterinary College in Calcutta in 1924, joined service as Asst. Veterinary Surgeon in Manipur in 1927 and then he did Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) in Homeopathy from Dacca Hahnemann Medical College in 1935-37.
The next Matriculate, i.e., the third Matriculate was Muhammed Waliullah Khutheibam of Khetrigaon who passed matriculate in 1923 and became the third Graduate overall (first in Arts) among the Meitei Pangals in 1928-29 and Waliullah went on to become the Durbar Member of Manipur during the British Period. Waliullah also established the Faiza M.E. School at Minuthong in the year 1935-36.
Mirza Abdul Hakim Makakmayum of Lilong (son of Dr. Abdul Ali) was the first B.Sc. and first Civil Engineer (B.SC.) from the Annamalai University in 1958-59. Abdul Hakim did matriculation in 1951 from the Churachand High School under Gauhati University, then completed the I.E. (Intermediate Education) or 10+2 from the Cotton College of Gauhati under the Gauhati University in 1953, further did one year B.SC. course from City College of Calcutta under Calcutta University in 1955, and completed the B.SC. in Civil Engineering from the Annamalai University in the year 1959, and during his student career received a scholarship from the Ohio University of United States of America in 1953.
The first I.A.S. officer of Manipur from the UPSC was from the Meitei Pangal community named Halim Choudhury who became the Deputy Commissioner (D.C.) of Imphal valley district (Central District) in the year 1974.
In Aligarh Muslim University (AMU):
The first Manipuri Muslim student who was educated from AMU is Kutubuddin Khutheibam from Keikhu Khetrigao who did Law in 1965; next is Muhammed Jalaluddin Sangomsumbam from Thoubal Moijing who did B. Com during 1966-68 and stayed at Sir Syed Hall (Hostel) and the third is Muhammed Abdur Rahman Shah Nongjaimayum from Khetrigaon who did M.A. in Political Science from AMU during 1967-69.
In Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), New Delhi:
Abdur Razak Mayangmayum from Kairang Awang Leikai was the first JMI student having done B.A. and M.A. in English during 1981-86.
Next Mohd Akbar Khan Makakmayum from Yairipok was admitted to Class I in 1982 in the School section and till the University section completed M.A. in Geography in 1999. Abdul Kalam Yumkhaibam from Sora did M.A. in History in 1983-85 and at the same period Nur Salam from Hatta did M.A. in Political Science during 1983-85. Afzal Ali Khullakpam from Yairipok was admitted in Class IX of School section in 1984 and continued till the University section completing M.A. in Geography in 1998.
In Delhi University (DU):
Shamsul Huda Nongjaimayum of Hatta was first admitted for B.A. course in Dayal Singh College in 1994, then Md. Faizul Haque Makakmayum from Wangoi in Deshbandhu College for B.A. in 1995. Chingis Khan Moijingmayum of Thoubal Moijing was admitted in Hindu College of Delhi University for B.Sc. in 1996 and Mahboob Alam Chesabam from Irong was also admitted in Hindu College for graduation in the same year in 1996. Abbas Khan Ipham of Keirao then got admission in Ramjas College and Nur Rahman Sajabam of Khetri Awang Leikai in Hindu College in 1997 for graduation courses.
In Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi:
Farooque Ahmed Makakmayum from Lilong Heinou Makhong first did M.A. and M. Phil in Political Science from JNU during 1995-1999. Next Syed Ahmed Meraimayum from Hatta did M.Phil and Ph.D in History during 1996-2005.
(The author is Ph. D in Management from JJT University, Rajasthan in 2022)