In observance of World Indigenous Day 2025, the Federation of Indigenous People’s Democratic Movement (FIDM) will honour mothers from the Sanamahi faith who have given birth to at least five children. The event is scheduled to be held on August 9 at Sana Konung Uttra Sanglen.
The FIDM has invited all concerned individuals and organisations to join the event and collectively deliberate on the challenges faced by the indigenous Sanamahi community.
In its announcement, the FIDM expressed concern over the declining state of the Sanamahi religion, stating that its followers continue to face existential threats and marginalisation. It recalled that in 1976, the then Chief Minister Yangmaso Shaiza had recognised Sanamahi as a state religion, but subsequent governments failed to uphold or institutionalise this recognition, leading to a gradual erosion of the faith’s standing.
At present, the number of Sanamahi followers in India has declined to approximately three lakh, a small fraction of the country’s 1.4 billion population. Despite this, the religion has not yet been accorded formal recognition. In contrast, religious communities such as Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis have been granted minority status under the Indian Constitution.
The FIDM reiterated its demand that the Government of India grant religious minority status to the Sanamahi community, emphasising the need to protect and preserve the cultural and spiritual heritage of its followers.