If Dr. Bhupen Hazarika wove the Northeast together through the timeless harmony of his music, Niketu Iralu helped stitch its wounds through the patient courage of dialogue and reconciliation.
In the face of continued militancy, social threats, and the loss of innocent lives in India’s Northeast, the departure of Niketu Iralu, the prominent peace activist and advocate for dialogue and reconciliation from Nagaland, has created a significant vacuum in the field of social peace and justice in this part of the country.
The narrow gauges of ethnic or interstate conflicts, which often generate situations of social discrimination between states of this region dwelling historically as brothers and sisters in the past, seem to have frequently curbed the hegemony of social peace and harmony of the region. Niketu Iralu, throughout his life, advocated for social peace of the region during such situations through reconciliation and dialogue, which became his philosophy of life. His ideology was to eradicate social discrimination and dissentions by glorifying peace, unity and harmony- the basic human need for enjoying progress in life. He became the leading voice in the north eastern region of India for peace and reconciliation.
Born in 1935, Niketu Iralu left for his eternal abode on August 18, 2026. He was 91. With a broad social outlook from a young age, he became associated with the Centre for Initiatives of Change while studying at Madras Christian College in 1955. Later, he became the Director of the Initiatives of Changes, (IofC) in Panchgam, Maharashtra. He devoted more than six decades to peace building, reconciliation and dialogue in Nagaland and in the Northeast.
Niketu Iralu became the guiding force of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation and was the Chairperson of the Naga Reconciliation Commission. He involved so much in peace activities that, he named his home at Sechu Zuhza village in Kohima District as ‘Kerunyu ki’, meaning “House of Listening”, where he was staying with his wife Christine. He transformed his home into a space for dialogue and reconciliation.
His home, for him became a place of peace, reflection, and healing. His home as such, was frequented by leaders, and negotiators approached him with their arguments from across the country and abroad. Besides, various people, leaders from different communities sought his counseling for reconciliation. His messages from ‘Kerunyu ki’ were truly relevant for the future of Nagaland. He was of the view was that there should be one who listens to the grievances of the aggrieved for finding out a solution through dialogue for peace and progress.
His role in conflict resolution was more crucial in his own State, Nagaland. For this, he remained most active, restoring peace and justice for all sections of Nagas through dialogue and reconciliation throughout his life. He devoted his life to fostering mutual trust and social harmony amid racial conflicts and dissension across the political and ethnic divides of Nagaland. He was deeply instrumental in conflict resolution in Nagaland through the Forum of Naga Reconciliation (FNR), an organisation devoted to bringing Naga warring factions closer to one another.
Although there was no ideological conflict among the workers of the Naga National Movement, difference of opinions was apparent among leaders. Keeping the interest of the future peace and progress of the Nagas, Niketu Iralu worked towards settling the differences among various factions through his ideology of peace and non-violence with Christian principle of love and forgiveness.
He will always be remembered for his message of peace in Nagaland and beyond. He believed that, “The Nagas must learn to love one another and learn to forgive one another, and then this will open the door to endless possibilities.” Such was the philosophical depth of his vision of life.
Historical tradition suggests that conflicts between villages, groups, and social factions have existed in Nagaland from the past for various reasons. In recent times, however, the growing influence of the ideals of peace and reconciliation has helped prevent such village conflicts and social tensions. Such disputes are now resolved through dialogue, understanding, and reconciliation, often culminating in community feasts shared by the concerned villages, thus paving the way for peace, progress, and social harmony.
Niketu Iralu was deeply concerned about saving the younger generation of Nagaland from the menace of alcohol and drug abuse, narcotics trafficking, and the spread of HIV, of which Nagaland was once a major hotspot. He was instrumental in bringing together the Naga Mothers Association and the Kripa Foundation, Mumbai, which led to the establishment of Mount Gilead Home at Sechu-Zubra. He served as its Director and Counsellor, working to address drug and alcohol addiction and to combat the spread of HIV in Nagaland.
He also served as the Director of Moral Re-Armament at Asia Plateau and played a significant role in confronting the growing crisis of drug addiction in Nagaland. He advocated a holistic approach to recovery, addressing the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional needs of those undergoing treatment, while also emphasizing long-term rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
In recognition of his visionary contribution to the society, the Department of Social Welfare, Government of Nagaland, honoured him with the Distinguished Senior Citizen Award in 2019. He was earlier awarded Rotary Peace Award in 2018 for his efforts in fostering cross-border community trust, and then U.N.Brahma Foundation Soldier Award of Humanity in 2011. He also received Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award for National Integration in 2006.
In 2023, Dr Bhupen Hazarika Trust, Guwahati, awarded Niketu Iralu the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Integration Award “Samannaya Bota”, commemorating the 97th birth anniversary of the Bharat Ratna recipient during a ceremony held at D.R. Golaghat for the lifelong activities for establishing peace and harmony in Nagaland and beyond. Accepting the award from Dr Surya Kanta Hazarika, the President of the Asom Sahitya Sabha, Niketu Iralu had said: “Dr Bhupen Hazarika was a powerful voice of the country”, whose songs and voice have mesmerised the people of all the walks of lives in the world. He said that the songs of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika carry the message of the times and will continue to inspire and influence society towards growth and progress. He also recalled Dr Bhupen Hazarika as a cultural ambassador for peace and pointed out how he promoted peace and harmony in Nagaland during 1964, a period when social unrest amid political conflicts among different factions threatening safety, through his rendition of ‘Manuhe manuhar babe’ in Nagamese, Assamese, Hindi , and Bengali.
Awarding Niketu Iralu with the Samannaya Bota in memory of Dr Bhupen Hazarika was a worthy decision in many respects. This award will further stimulate the historical Naga- Assamese relationship.
Niketu Iralu was ten years younger than Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. Yet, both worked relentlessly, in their own ways, towards a common objective: promoting peace, harmony, and brotherhood in society. By honouring Iralu with the Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Integration Award, “Samannaya Bota,” we affirm a truth that Northeast India needs both a song to unite our hearts and a dialogue to heal our divisions.
If Dr. Bhupen Hazarika wove the Northeast together through the timeless harmony of his music, Niketu Iralu helped stitch its wounds through the patient courage of dialogue, reconciliation, and forgiveness. One gave us the song of integration; the other gave us the language of reconciliation. Both are indispensable if Northeast India is to celebrate its historical unity and brotherhood and secure a peaceful future for a region connected by a shared geographical space, ethnicity and culture dotted with mutual understanding, trust, belief and glorifying practices of the past.
Dr Hemendra Nath Dutta
Former Vice Chancellor
International University Nagaland
Chumoukedima Nagaland