KOHIMA — Prominent linguist and educationist Prof. Dr. (retired) D Kuolie and incumbent secretary general of Ura Academy passed away on Tuesday at a hospital in Kohima.
Ura Academy is a premier literary society that is committed to working towards preservation and perpetuation of Tenyidie, a Naga language of the Tenyimi community and its culture.
According to available resources, Dr. Kuolie did his MA English in 1985 from North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and also completed his MA (Linguistic) in 1989 from University of Poona, Pune. He also did MA (Tenyidie) in 1990 from Ura Academy, Kohima.
Subsequently, he also completed his PhD (Linguistics) in 2004 from Deccan College, Post-graduate and research institute, Pune.
He began his career in teaching as headmaster of Government Middle School in Chedema from 1981-1990. In June 1990, he joined Kohima College under the department of Tenyidie as lecturer and later in 1997 went on to teach Tenyidie at Nagaland University when it was first introduced at the University. He also held the position of head of Tenyidie department at Nagaland University and retired as head of Linguistics department in September 2021.
As an educator, he has supervised around 300 MA scholars and 8 doctorates.
He has written more than 21 books and contributed significantly to “Ura Dze,” a monthly Tenyidie literary journal, as editor.
In addition to his contributions to Tenyidie as a poet, essayist and novelist, he was a prominent figure in the study of Tenyimi culture and traditions. Besides writing in Tenyidie, he has written books in English.
He was conferred ‘Bhasha Samman Award 2005’ by Sahitya Akademi (National Academy of Letters) New Delhi. He was also awarded the Nagaland Governor’s Award for distinction in literature in 2008. He was also honoured by the Bhasha Research and Publication Centre for his contribution made towards the People’s Linguistic Society of India.
The mortal remains will be taken to Chedema Baptist Church compound for the last rites at 3 pm.
Meanwhile, Ura Academy Rüpfhünuo (Tenyidie MA degree holders) and Tenyidie Kephrünuko Krotho (TKK) (Tenyidie Students’ Union) have conveyed condolences on the death of the professor.
