Now Reading: Naga peace activist Niketu Iralu dies at 91 in Delhi hospital
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Naga peace activist Niketu Iralu dies at 91 in Delhi hospital
Niketu Iralu, a Naga peace activist who worked for over six decades on ethnic reconciliation in the Northeast, died Tuesday at a New Delhi hospital at age 91. A resident of Sechü…
Niketu Iralu, a Naga peace activist who worked for over six decades on ethnic reconciliation in the Northeast, died Tuesday at a New Delhi hospital at age 91. A resident of Sechü Zubza in Kohima district, Iralu was with Initiatives of Change and the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR).
Nagaland deputy chief minister TR Zeliang called Iralu a "towering figure" whose commitment to peace would remain etched in the state's history. MP S Phangnon Konyak said he dedicated his life to dialogue and the power of listening. Iralu was a trustee of the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research and won the Upendra Nath Brahma Soldier of Humanity Award (2011), Bhupen Hazarika Integration Award (2023), and IofC Lifetime Achiever Award (2025).
Indian Opinion Analysis
Iralu's work through the Forum for Naga Reconciliation positioned him as a key bridge between the government and Naga political groups during decades of insurgency and peace talks. The forum, formed in 2008, has been the primary platform for dialogue among Naga factions since the 1997 ceasefire. His death leaves a gap in civil-society-led reconciliation efforts as the central government continues separate negotiations with the NSCN-IM and other groups. The last major round of talks was in 2019, and no final framework agreement has been signed. The next development to watch is whether the Nagaland government or the Centre will announce a state funeral or memorial, which would signal the official standing of peace activists in the process.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
