Major Motimala Ngangom (Retd), former Associate Officer of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), has been honoured with the title “Mother of NCC” in recognition of her long service to the organisation and contribution to promoting Manipur’s cultural heritage.
Interacting with the media following the conferment of the title on September 13, Major Motimala recalled her 34 years of association with the NCC from 1984 to 2018. During her service, she worked to showcase Manipuri traditional dance, music and cultural practices at the national level.
She served as Lady Commander of the NCC North East Region from 1984 to 1994 and subsequently as DG NCC All India in charge of cultural activities from 1995 to 2018. She said the NCC continued to invite her for various assignments even after her retirement.
The Ministry of Defence conferred the first Raksha Mantri Padak Award on her in 1994 in recognition of her service. She said the “Mother of NCC” title recognised her longstanding contribution to the organisation, efforts to instil patriotism among cadets and promotion of Manipur’s cultural identity.
Major Motimala joined the NCC while studying in Class XI. After completing her Master’s degree in Hindi from Aligarh University, she served as an Associate Professor at GP Women’s College and became the first woman from the NCC North East Region to serve as a Contingent Commander.
She said she facilitated opportunities for NCC cadets from Manipur to participate in national events and perform in Delhi, including programmes associated with Republic Day.
Her life story as a soldier has also been portrayed in the Manipuri film Tamphamani, A Story of a Real Man, released by Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
Despite health challenges, Major Motimala said she continues to support initiatives aimed at guiding young people towards constructive activities.
