A tribute to Dr. L. Y. Longchar

8/12/17 

(A speech delivered in the program held inside the Department of Agricultural Extension, SASRD, Nagaland University).

      I would first like to thank my classmates for putting their trust in me. They’ve always been so kind since the very first day. Thank you, friends, for giving me the opportunity to give respect to Late Dr. L.Y. Longchar. 

    He was our course-in-charge for only a single semester. So, I won’t have much to say about him today. We used to call him ‘The man who doesn’t smile’ because we never saw him smile; but only once. We came to realize later that that was not his true nature. He was always so open, kind, and friendly to whoever approached him in his chamber. 

     During the orientation for our RAWE program, Sir Longchar highlighted manners and etiquette – the way we should behave, what to say, what not to do. He told us to either use ‘tui’ or ‘apni’ instead of ‘toi’. He also warned us to never use the ‘L’ word with the villagers. Long story short – During the RAWEP viva voce, while other teachers asked me ‘What is this’, ‘what is that’, ‘What is the reason behind this’, he asked me about my experience of the 4-months stay in the village. I told him that I had never stayed in a village that long. And when I mentioned about me seeing ‘Made in Mizoram’ printed on their dining plates, he smiled. He actually smiled again. 

     I’m standing here today to give a tribute to Dr. Longchar, but I have questions for me, and for all of you: -

 1) Why do we organize programs for people only after when words don’t mean anything to them? 

 2) Why don’t we celebrate birthdays instead and give honors and praises to the living souls? 

    Well, after all, ‘Showing and expressing love, respect and appreciation to someone while they’re still alive’ has always been one of the most meaningful life lessons but which is very, very difficult to practice. In the speech I delivered on Teachers’ Day, I included his name after seeing him outside the department building. I didn’t wish him there as I thought he would be sitting with us in the program. All I can say now is that I regret so much for waiting for ‘that later moment’ to wish him a ‘Happy Teachers’ Day’. 

   Before people narrate our stories as ‘he was, she was’, let us all realize that our assets, our degrees, and our money won’t mean anything on our dying bed. But the memories we create, the relationship we build, and the experience we have will let us leave in peace. 

May God be with the bereaved family. 

May God be with his colleagues. 

May his memories be never forgotten. 

This is my prayer. 

Thank you.