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Niketu Iralu Remembered as a Bridge for Peace
Niketu Iralu was a respected peace activist from Nagaland.
He died in a Delhi hospital on August 18 when he was 91.
He believed people should solve disagreements by talking instead of fighting.
He helped people in the rest of India understand the history and hopes of the Naga people.
He also helped bring the body of Naga leader Angami Zapu Phizo back to India in 1990.
Many people called him “uncle Niketu” because he cared for and advised them.
Friends remembered his kindness, jokes and love of music.
He was buried in the garden of his home in Nagaland, beneath the stars he loved.
Niketu Iralu, a prominent Nagaland peace activist, died in a Delhi hospital on August 18 at age 91.
He dedicated his life to non-violence, dialogue and reconciliation amid the unresolved Naga conflict.
Iralu introduced many mainland Indians to Naga history, culture and aspirations, helping bridge communities.
He helped arrange the return of Naga National Council leader Angami Zapu Phizo’s body to India in 1990.
He was remembered for his humor, hospitality, moral courage and commitment to challenging hatred within his own community.
- Who
- Niketu Iralu, a Nagaland peace activist and elder, died at age 91.
- What
- He was remembered for promoting non-violence, dialogue and reconciliation and for connecting Nagas with mainland India.
- Where
- He died in a hospital in Delhi and was laid to rest at his home, Kerunyu Ki, in Sechu Zubza, Kohima district, Nagaland.
- When
- He died on August 18; in 1990, he helped arrange the return of Angami Zapu Phizo’s body to India.
- Why
- He worked to address the Naga conflict through peace, dialogue and reconciliation.
Key facts
- Age at death
- 91
- Date of death
- August 18
- Place of death
- A hospital in Delhi
- Home and final resting place
- Kerunyu Ki, Sechu Zubza, Kohima district, Nagaland
- Core approach
- Non-violence, dialogue and reconciliation
- Major association
- Initiatives of Change
- Recognition
- Recipient of several awards, including the Bhupen Hazarika Integration Award
Quotes
Markson V Luikham
Young writer who published a tribute to Niketu Iralu in Ukhrul Times
“When I reached Kolkata… the number of people trying to board the train made me say to myself we have no chance to survive in this – India, which has so many people!”
indianexpress.com
“He was a deeply human man who spent decades asking Nagas to… confront their failures, resist hatred and recover the courage to listen.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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