By Elizabeth Lalfamkim*
Dig this: “Majority of today’s youth are sitting idle; no proper dreams to fulfill, no enthusiasms about life in general, less academic competitions amongst themselves when compared to the older Hmar generations”.
The saying further goes like this:
“The year 2000 and beyond have placed young Hmars to shame as most of the older generation officers have retired and only a handful will compensate for the prestigious chair which the older ones have been occupying”. (Anonymous)
The above quotations sends shiver down my spine when I heard it and have constantly been hearing it (maybe) in different form and in numerous tones. True, this so called ‘older generation officers’ have set an example and they will always be the pride of our Hmar ‘hnam’. One should honor them and cherish the hard work and dedications rendered by our ‘leaders’ and no doubt, we should follow their footsteps.
This article is not about disrespecting the older generations but about the pride I have in the young Hmars who have accomplish something in life and who will continue to be a part of the mobilizing force for transforming our society. I don’t claim to be a perfect human being and jobless I may be I am human enough to observe and put my thoughts into writing.
The year 1960s and the decade that follows witnessed a number of Hmars attaining government posts due to their diligence and hard work to be ‘someone’ in life. During that time, people holding government posts were few, not to mention officers holding high posts. The total population of the Hmars too, though scattered they may be, were small in number. As a result to this, those who managed to get through to the central service exams were easily recognized and they in turn create a household name within no time. By the way, few they may be, they were often the ‘talk of the town’ and they also became the ‘most suitable prey’ among the well-off Hmar Bachelorette and the most ‘happening’ girls for their future husband.
Today, it is a universal or say, a ‘hmarversal’ truth that the Hmar population have doubled if not tripled when compared to the 1960s and the 70s. We have also jetted to every nook and corners of the world and thus, our population have been even more scattered from one corner to another. Job opportunities have opened up in private sectors while government job recruitments are more and more difficult with the increase in population and also in part due to privatization.
However, there are many young Hmars who draw more attractive salary than our first class officers in the private sectors. However, in spite of all these, we have seen quite a number of young Hmars who have managed to secure government jobs.
Like we have said, the old will retire but new and better ones will come up. Right here in Delhi, we have officers who are in their 30s and 40s whom I still consider them as ‘youth’. We again have officers who are in their 20s. I also believe that many of our children too have the potentiality to be like these officers we have talked about. Look at Master Laldawmsang, son of Dr. Lalsiemlien Pulamte. He has been his mother’s telephone directory ever since he was a small child. I see a meaningful future ahead of him. He is a genius in the making. This is however, only one picture of our Delhi Hmar world. How about our other worlds where our brothers and sisters live-N.C. Hills, Cachar, Mizoram, Meghalaya, etc.? They too produce numerous officers every year without us noticing.
Our world is no longer like those in the 1960s and the 1970s. Advice and encouragements are important and can be instrumental in upward mobility. However, it is unfair for the older generations to go on saying that we no longer have the passion and dedication to strive for a better future.
Rather, it is high time that the older generations starts acknowledging our potentials and begin to shower words of encouragements and challenges for the crucial journey that lies ahead. Let us not forget the infallible lines that had been written for us by our predecessors: “En tûm mihrâng pasalthrahai, An Sinlung ram maksanin; Thlangtieng kawl rawnah an liem a, Ei ram sanin rinum an do.”
Well, arise y’all, put on your gear. The time has come for us to fight the good fight and bring home the golden trophy!
*The Article was written on September 10, 2005, Mayur Vihar-1, Delhi.
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