Ashangbam Minaketan Singh

Ashangbam Minaketan Singh Biography

Ashangbam Minaketan Singh is regarded as the founder of Modern Manipuri literature. He lived in the 20^th century, with a fruitful long 89 years witnessing every historic moment of Manipur. He has given contributions to every genre of Manipuri literature. He published 25 books on different branches of literature including poetry, prose, essays, translations, mythology, biography, autobiography and criticism. He is amongst the pioneer poets of Manipuri literature. Basanta Sheireng (1928) and Asheibagi Nityaipod (1976) are his poetry works. Asheibagi Sheirol (1977), Tonu Laijinglembi (Play), Bharatki Lonsingi Marakta (Essay) and Meitei Upanyas (Criticism) are his other works. Soviet Land Nehru Award (1977) and Sahitya Academy Award for Asheibagi Nityaipod (Poetry) the same year are the major awards received by him.

He was born on 2 May 1906 in Wangkhei, Imphal, Manipur. He was brought up in the family of Royal descendants of Maharaja Nara Singh by Sanajaobi Devi. His grandfather Ashang Kut also known as Ashangbam Phura Hongba was a soldier in The Maharaja of Manipur's army, who served twenty five years of life imprisonment at Kalapani Jail, as he was one among the accused of the assassination of British officials in 1891. Ashangbam graduated from the University of Calcutta in 1930 and mastered many Indian languages and English by this period. Though Manipur was going through changes by Monarchical system of British government, the same period also witnessed the renaissance in Manipuri literature.

His words were noted for impressive power of imagination by lines. Apart from contributing a lot to Manipuri literature, he has also served in advisory board of many state committees. He passed away in 1995, living almost a century. In 2006, Ashangbam Minaketan State Level Celebration Committee, Imphal observed the 100th birth anniversary of Ashangbam.

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Updated: February 28, 2014