Hmar Students Association: History and Constitution

HISTORY
The Hmar Students’ Association was formed at Imphal in Manipur in 1939.

Just twenty-nine years after the advent of Christianity, the Hmars began to understand the importance of education and the need to have an association for the student community. The HSA was thus born to serve the students and to bring out an integrative feeling among the Hmar community in general. As a result, the number of educated Hmars greatly increased. As its motto stated, the HSA seeks to serve through work, assistance, sharing and guiding.

The HSA has three governing bodies:

The General Assembly, The Executive Council and the General Headquarters.
A more detailed treatment of the above bodies is given elsewhere.

The General Headquarters of the Hmar Students’ Association is situated at Churachandpur, Manipur. Besides the General Headquarters, there are Joint Headquarters, Branches, Blocks and Units. These offices work in conjunction with each other.

Till now the HSA remains one of the most effective organisation of the Hmars. It is still the HSA that the founding members intend it to be – working, assisting, sharing, leading and serving the nation. New Joint Headquarters, branches, blocks and units are still being created in far-off distances to serve the student community there, particularly the Hmar students. As a result of its dedication, enthusiasm and commitment many Hmar students are now studying in the best universities, both in India and abroad.

CONSTITUTION

MOTTO: The H.S.A. motto is ‘Sinin, Hrilin, Sanin, Thuoiin, Serve the Nation,’ meaning ‘Work, Share, Assist, Lead and Serve the Nation’.

FLAG: The flag is green in colour with a white star in the middle within which H.S.A. is inscribed.

The green colour signifies that the H.S.A. stands for truth. The star is the Pole Star signifying H.S.A as a guide for the nation. Its white colour signifies purity and truth to stand for.H.S.A, inscribed in red {in the middle} shows its dedications and sacrifice for the nation.

The Hmar students are governed by three supreme bodies, namely

General Assembly,
Executive Council and
General Headquarters.

General Assembly:
The General Assembly is the apex body and holds the Sovereign power to amend the Constitution. The General President summons and presides its meeting held once every year. The General Assembly has the authority:
*to decide the mode of guidance,
*to decide the numbers of representatives (from every Joint Headquarters, Block and Branch),
*over all the properties, scholarships, magazines, etc. of H.S.A.,
*to form or dissolve Joint Headquarters, Block, Branch and Unit,
*to change decision passed by Executive Council.

Executive Council:
The Executive Council stands or functions on behalf of the General Assembly. Therefore it has the right to amend the Constitution. In case of an emergency, the General President may summon a meeting of General Assembly with the approval of the Executive Council. The Council consisted of
*General Headquarters Office bearers
*Committee members
*Joint Headquarters
*President, Secretary and three other representatives of every Block and Branch.

H.S.A. Offices are at
*General Headquarters,
*Joint Headquarters,
*Blocks,
*Branch and
*Unit levels.

General Headquarters:
The President and Secretary of General Headquarters are called as General President and General Secretary respectively. The General Assembly elects the office bearers of the General Headquarters. Its committee is called the Executive Committee

It has:
*all the powers and authorities except the authority to amend the Constitution.
*the authority to act on behalf of the General Assembly at any meeting with other organisations.
*the authority to select representatives from within itself or outside to deal with other organisations.
*the authority to summon the Executive Council.
*the authority over Joint Headquarters, Blocks, Branches and Units in matter concerning their formation, dissolution and administration

Joint Headquarters:
Elected members hold the office. Its functions are:
*the formation or the establishment of Units.
*to act under the approval of the General Headquarters on matters or issues concerning
*the Hmar community, talks and meetings with others organisations.
*to inform the General Headquarters of its activities in all respects.

Block:
*Elected Block leaders hold the Block office.
*It is directly linked to the General Headquarters but not with the Joint Headquarters. It has the authority over the formation of Units.
*It should inform or communicate with the General Headquarters.
*It acts under the approval of General Headquarters on matters or issues concerning the community, talks and meeting with other organisations.

Branch:
*Elected members will hold the office.
*It is directly linked to General Headquarters but not with Joint Headquarters and Block. *Students located at different places may open an H.S.A Branch office after receiving the approval of General Headquarters under the condition that either Joint Headquarters or Block is absent at that place.
*It has the duty to inform the General Headquarters of its events and activities as early as possible.

Unit:
*The elected leaders hold the Unit office. It is the smallest office under the H.S.A.
*It is directly linked to Joint Headquarters and Block. Unit office maybe formed or established at colleges, schools and villages.
*It should inform the Joint Headquarters or Block of its activities and events as early as possible.