By Marylynne Lartang & the Students and Research Scholars,
(Department of Sociology, NEHU)
“You must eat, drink, breathe and sleep Sociology…….”
–– (AK Nongkynrih)
These words still echo in the minds of his students. A year has passed since he silently left us and this earthly home to be away forever. A teacher who not just loved his profession but had a passion for it. Amongst many exciting things that a fresher like me would look forward to at the University on the first day of class would be the face of a friendly and approachable teacher. Little did we know that our expectations would soon run dry. For what we experienced was completely different. We sat in class with eager hearts and minds waiting for the 1st period. He entered the classroom at 9.30 am sharp and closed the door behind him. There was pin-drop silence, as he stood there glancing at each one of us with a cynical smile as if to say, ‘Here is a bunch of new recruits – I have a tough job to deal with them !”…. The whole class stared at him from head to toe – This tall, dark and handsome teacher does mean business! They say ‘The first impression is the last’ and Lo and Behold! That moment the class saw him for the first time even before he uttered a word, he certainly created a lasting impression.
Time management and punctuality was one thing he always taught us for he would be the first to arrive and the last to leave work. A strict disciplinary he was, for he would go to the extent of letting late comers learn a lesson by turning a deaf ear to the knocks on the door during a class. A health freak he was, for he would often give us advice about the dangers of fast food and how we should nurture nature and go for organic food. The ‘Kong’ at our canteen learned not to use plastic cups for tea and the Chowkidar at our Department was more careful about checking on the taps that leaked and doors that banged on windy days.
A lover of nature he was for he would often take us for long walks around the campus introducing us to the indigenous trees he had planted but little was he aware, that we already plucked the pears and the plums from those trees. What fun we had when he would surprisingly treat us to a coffee or tea break in the midst of a class when sleepy faces and yawns distracted him. But mind you! These were meaningful coffee breaks where we would end up in academic arguments over many issues plaguing our society such as gender issues, problems of development, politics of survival, tribal ethnicity, unemployment and youth empowerment- issues that he was deeply concerned about.
His academic duties and responsibilities never hindered his quest for exploring the rural and rustic life of villagers. Weekends saw him traveling to far-flung villages, often unmotorable areas where he would meet the community and discuss issues. “Bah Kyrham” as he was lovingly called, seemed to have a huge fan-following from the youngest to the oldest. He had a sense of accountability to his village of him, Pdengshnong in Sohra where he grew up. Visiting his village de el meant spending time with the church elders, the members of the durbar, and even checking on the school children and their education. He was well aware of his role as an academician as well as a public intellectual. Connecting to the community at the grassroots level and his interest in uplifting them led him to become involved in a number of NGO’s and Boards that fetched useful advice and wisdom from him.
The large crowd that gathered at his funeral bore witness to the fact that we had truly lost an amazing human being. The academia have lost a promising intellectual, a practical Sociologist down to the core, students have lost a mentor, guide and confidante, the Community has lost a friend, the corridors of our Department will forever miss his footsteps so swift and soft and yet so commanding…..we could go on and on telling tales of what we miss. But as a true Sociologist we all believe in his famous adage that we often made fun of but today they seem so meaningful…. “There is Sociology in everything you see, feel, touch, eat, drink or sleep”…Goodbye Sir -We salute you!