Pu T. Thongpao: A Life of Resilience, Service, and Cultural Legacy

(Compiled by Pupu Zou) Pu T. Thongpao, fondly remembered as one of the greatest cultural icons among the Zo/Zou people, was a distinguished songwriter, teacher, dramatist, community leader, and pioneer of Zo/Zou literary and musical traditions. Revered by many as the “Rabindranath Tagore of the Zou people,” his life was marked by extraordinary perseverance, creativity, and dedication to the advancement of his community died on 27th May 2026 at his residence, Zoveng, after fighting his illness for several years. May His Soul Rest in Peace!

Born on 15 December 1940 in Lungsai village under the present-day Hienglep Sub-Division of Churachandpur district, Manipur, India, Thongpao was the eldest among four surviving children of Vumkhothong and Dimkhochiin. Recognising the importance of education and aspiring for their son to secure government employment, his parents later moved to Tuibuong village in 1947. There, young Thongpao began his formal education at Lingshiphai Lower Primary School before continuing his studies at Churachandpur Government High School, from which he completed his matriculation in 1964. He subsequently enrolled in the Pre-University Course (PUC) in 1965.

Biography of Zamminlun Singson - Acclaimed Self-taught Hyperrealist Pencil Artist

Zamminlun Singson is an internationally acclaimed self-taught hyperrealist pencil artist from Sumtukphai village in Churachandpur district, Manipur, India. Known for his astonishingly realistic graphite portraits and emotionally expressive artworks, he rose to international prominence after winning the 2020 International Artist Grand Prize Competition at ART Revolution Taipei, Taiwan. His works are characterised by extraordinary detailing, emotional storytelling, and a deep commitment to promoting peace through art.

Early Life and Family Background

Zamminlun Singson was born on October 14, 1997, in Sumtukphai village, Churachandpur district, Manipur, into a modest family headed by Late Thangtinkhup Singson and Hoikhonei Singson. He grew up with two elder sisters and a younger brother in a rural environment where resources and opportunities were limited.

The Battle for Tonzang Town Domination: A Special Report

In the rugged mountains of northern Chin State, the struggle for control of Tonzang Town emerged as one of the most strategically significant episodes of the ongoing Myanmar civil war. Located near the India–Myanmar border, Tonzang is more than a remote hill town; it is a critical military gateway linking resistance-held territories in Chin State with cross-border ethnic and humanitarian networks extending into India’s Mizoram and Manipur regions. Since the 2021 military coup led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chin State has transformed into one of the strongest anti-junta resistance zones in Myanmar. Tonzang became a central battlefield in this wider struggle.