Manipur's martial art form Thang-Ta will be soon upgraded to a full-fledged subject in schools, Education Minister Sorokhaibam Rajen said
The minister gave the assurance during a programme of 82nd birth anniversary of late Ojah Sinam Devabrata Singh, awardee of Sangeet Natak Akademi in Thang-Ta, held at Aryan Theatre, Wahengbam Leikai Imphal West on Sunday. The programme was organised by Living Arts Academy Manipuri Thang-Ta (LAAMAN Thang-Ta).
Attending the function as chief guest, Rajen said that learning Thang-Ta through formal education would not only help in preservation and promotion of the art and culture but also help maintain the morale and discipline of the youths. Concerning its essence, the state government would initiate all necessary steps to make it a full fledged subject.
The art form has already been included in schools as a vocational subject. However, just teaching the skills as a part of a small syllabus is not enough, he added while assuring to upgrade the learning and teaching process of Thang-Ta in schools.
“People should value and respect this art form, as through its skills, our ancestors challenged the well trained British soldiers with sophisticated weapons during the British rule,” Rajen said.
Giving the keynote address, principal of LAAMAN Thang-Ta, Chungkham Sunil said that late Sinam Devabrata was the pioneer of Thang-Ta. The contribution made by him in promotion and preservation of Thang-Ta is commendable.
The art form was included in the school curriculum in 2014, which was four years after Devabrata had expired. However, he (Devabrata) had given much effort to include Thang-Ta as one of the vocational subjects in schools, he added.
While appealing to the state government to upgrade the course of Thang-Ta in the form of full-fledged subject, he said that widening the course of education for Thang-Ta would help to keep the art form alive, which is a long cherished dream of all the pioneers of Thang-Ta.
Other dignitaries who attended the function were president of The Historical and Cultural Research Centre, Imphal, Naoroibam Indramani; media coordinator of Art and Culture Manipur and general council member of Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi, Shamurailatpam Nabachandra Sharma; and assistant professor of Manipur University of Culture, Makhonmani Mongsaba as president and guests of honour, respectively.
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