RAJKUMAR IRABOT SINGH
RK Irabot speaking at a function
The concept of co-operative is working together or helping
each other for a common goal. This is the idea that got struck in the heart of
Rajkumar Irabot Singh. He relentlessly fought for it and recognising his tireless
efforts and contributions towards the movement, the state Co-operative Department
with Manipur State Co-operative Union (MSCU) recently bestowed on him the
prestigious ‘Best Co-operator Award’.
Born on December 13, 1912 at Ningthoukhong, eighty-three
long years have since rolled on. The period has witnessed many ups and downs in
his life. In 1938 he joined Nikhil Manipuri Hindu Mahasabha and thereafter
joined the Congress party. The founder president of the Moirang Large Size
Co-operative Society Ltd., Shri Irabot is related to other social works also
like organization of schools/colleges etc. In 1963, he became a Member of
Legislative Assembly.
In 1985 he became the vice-chairman of Planning and
Development Authority (PDA). The year 1992 saw him as a council member of the
prestigious National Co-operative Union of India (NCUI), New Delhi. In 1993 he
was appointed the chairman of the Institute of Co-operative Management (ICM),
Imphal. The ICM is one of the eighteen such institutions in the country under
the tutelage of National Council for Co-operative Training (NCCT), New Delhi
controlled by the NCUI of the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operation,
Government of India.
He donated a piece of his own land for construction of a
primary agricultural credit co-operative society (PACS). The Associated
Progressive Gram Panchayat Level Multipurpose Co-operative Society Ltd.,
Ningthoukhong, is now thriving well on the said patta land. He has been closely
connected with the PACS for the last several years in various capacities.
Bishnupur District Supply & Marketing Co-operative,
Manipur State Co-operative Union, Manipur Apex Co-operative Marketing Society
Ltd etc., are some prominent organizations with which this grand old man of
co-operative movement is associated with. Besides them he became the chairman
of C.I. College, Bishnupur and Mangolnganbi College, Ningthoukhong in 1971 and
1980 respectively.
In spite of his being an active social worker and co-operator he has his share of critics also
who do not miss a chance to pass scathing remarks on him. They used to label
him sobriquets ranging from ‘co-operative baron’ to ‘drum major of a comic
opera’ etc. But the simplicity and integrity of this man who literally begged
to survive during a sojourn at Silchar in Assam is such that he swallowed the
remarks without a pinch of salt. Clad in snow-white dhoti and kurta, this old
man of the co-operative sea is not losing his sense of wits.
Konjengbam Kameshore
(Courtesy: North East Sun, New Delhi, February
15-29, 1996) 