In a gesture of homage, family members of the 23 exiled heroes of the Anglo-Manipur War (Khongjom Lal) 1891 were felicitated on Monday.
The event, organised by the Department of Arts and Culture, marked the commemoration of 75 years of India's Independence as a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mohatsav celebrations.
The ceremony took place at Shri Shri Mukunda Dev Music College in Imphal East.
A couple of years ago, the unsung heroes of the Anglo-Manipur War and the exiled individuals received recognition as "Exiled Heroes" from the government.
Their names were etched on a monolith at Saheed Minar in BT Park, Imphal, in 2021, ending a 130-year-long wait.
The historical significance of these exiled heroes was also acknowledged by the Union government, which renamed Mount Harriet in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as Mount Manipur.
These 23 heroes were exiled by the British imperialists to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
During the event, Naoroibam Indramani, president of the Historical and Cultural Research Centre delivered the chief guest speech.
He elaborated on the events of the Anglo-Manipur War, shed light on Manipur's journey to independence, and provided a detailed account of the declaration of Manipur's independence.
As part of the commemoration, attendees paid floral tributes to the departed souls of these exiled heroes while the artists from Shri Shri Mukunda Dev Music College presented a heartfelt patriotic song, adding a cultural touch to the event.
Commissioner of Arts and Culture, M Joy, was present to preside over the function.
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