Imkong L Imchen dies at 75; state funeral planned in Kohima

MOKOKCHUNG — Advisor for Information and Public Relations, and Soil and Water Conservation, Imkong L Imchen, passed away at Apollo Excelcare Hospital in Guwahati on Tuesday. He was 75.

Hospital sources confirmed that he breathed his last at 1:58 pm. He is survived by his wife, four sons, and two daughters.

A native of Mangmetong village in Mokokchung district, Imchen had suffered a heart attack on November 8 and was admitted to Naga Hospital Authority Kohima. After initial stabilisation, he was airlifted to Guwahati on November 10 for further treatment. He had underlying kidney complications and diabetes, and underwent dialysis before his condition worsened.

Related: Advisor Imkong L Imchen airlifted to Guwahati for treatment

The chairman of Mangmetong Village Council said his mortal remains were being taken to Indisen village in Dimapur on Tuesday evening, where they would lie in state. A state funeral has been scheduled in Kohima at 9:30 am, to be followed by traditional rites in Mangmetong.

Imchen’s public career spanned student activism, tribal bodies, party leadership, and five terms in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. He served as president of the Ao Students’ Conference, general secretary of the Naga Students’ Federation, vice president and later president of Ao Senden, president of the District Congress Committee, and vice president of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee.

He was elected from the 28 Koridang constituency five times — first as an Independent in 2003, then on Naga People’s Front tickets in 2008, 2013, and 2018, before winning on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket in 2023. He served as a cabinet minister in earlier governments and was currently Advisor for Information and Public Relations, and Soil and Water Conservation.

In June 2025, Mangmetong village marked his 75th birthday and 25 years as an elected representative.