One of the first Naga MLAs in Manipur, Athuibou Daimai passed away early Wednesday at Dewlahland, Imphal. He was 99.
Born in 1923 at Thaluan village of Tamenglong district, he was three times MLA from 1952 to 1967.
In an interview to retired bureaucrat Kaikhamang Daimai last year for a book, Athuibou said, “The year I joined politics, I contested election and won the battle”.
He also said, “It was in 1952, an Electoral College was constituted to elect one Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). There I was elected to that Electoral College as a member from Aimol constituency, the present Tamei assembly constituency. It was not a Legislative Assembly though it was a legislative body having legislative authority. So we were not addressed as MLA, but Electoral College member”.
According to the book ‘Brief Life Account of Mr. Athuibou Daimai’ written by Kaikhamang Daimai, Athuibou had also served as president of the Zeliangrong Naga Union for two terms. He had also served Zeliangrong Union as joint secretary. He was also one of the founding members of the Naga Integration Committee.
After his retirement from politics, Athuibou Daimai joined pastoral ministry and served two churches—Namtiram Baptist Church and Liangmai Baptist Church, Imphal. According to the book, Athuibou had brought out the first ever Liangmai Christian hymn book called “Christian Lui”. He was also a founding secretary of Liangmai Literature Society.
Meanwhile, the funeral programme of Athuibou Daimai will be held on January 6 at Dewlahland, Imphal.
