The Jemtimenba Mollier Foundation honoured five meritorious students for outstanding achievements in Ao literature during its 12th annual meritorious award ceremony held in Mokokchung.
MOKOKCHUNG — The Jemtimenba Mollier Foundation (JMF) felicitated five meritorious students for their outstanding academic achievements in Ao literature during its 12th annual meritorious award ceremony held at Sangtemla ward multipurpose hall, Mokokchung, on July 18.
The awards recognised students who secured the highest marks in Ao literature in the HSLC and HSSLC examinations, topped the Arangtet (AT) examinations, and emerged as the Ao subject topper at the college level.
Chairman of Chuchuyimpang Village Council, I Zülu Imsong, who attended the programme as the guest of honour, congratulated the awardees and commended the Jemtimenba Mollier Foundation for its sustained efforts in promoting Ao literature and preserving the language.
"While financial support can come from many sources, it is the vision and dedication behind an initiative like this that creates a lasting legacy," Imsong said.
Highlighting the importance of preserving the Ao language, he noted that it remains closely intertwined with traditional agricultural practices.
According to him, nearly 40 per cent of the Ao language comprises words, expressions and proverbs associated with farming and rural life.
He urged students and the wider community to combine formal education with hands-on experience in traditional practices, stressing that meaningful language preservation requires the continuation of ancestral ways of life alongside academic learning.
Established in 2014, the Jemtimenba Mollier Foundation has been working to promote Ao literature and create awareness about its cultural significance.
As part of its initiatives, the foundation regularly organises seminars, essay competitions, quizzes, spelling bees and annual award ceremonies to encourage excellence in the subject.
The recipients of the 2026 JMF Awards for Excellence in Ao Literature were Imnokila Mollier, who scored 97 marks in the Ao HSLC Examination; Sungjemtula, who secured 96 marks in the Ao HSSLC Examination; Kilangnukshi, who obtained 66.3 per cent in the AT Diploma (Tenren) Examination; Alisenla Ozüküm, who secured 81.1 per cent in the AT Post Graduate Diploma (Tenren) Examination; and Temjenmenla Pongen, who scored 82.5 per cent to emerge as the Ao subject topper at the college level (FAC 2026).
Each awardee received a cash prize and a certificate in recognition of their outstanding academic performance in Ao literature.