By Imna Longchar
Dimapur (Nagaland), July 3: The Government on Saturday accorded a state funeral in honour of late Toshi Wungtung, Advisor, IPR, SCERT and Village Guards, Nagaland, at his mother’s residence at Purana Bazaar, Dimapur.
Toshi Wungtung passed away on July 1 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in New Delhi and whose mortal remains was flown to Dimapur on July 2.
In his eulogy at the funeral service, Speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA), SharingainLongkumer, expressed shock at the untimely demise of late Toshi and offered condolences to the wife, mother and family members of the departed soul.
He highlighted on the colourful profiles of late Toshi, his past and present personal experiences where he served as the President of Naga Students’ Union Delhi (NSUD), his active participation with the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), his association for ethnic/native studies at the University of Texas, USA, NEPED, UNICEF State Co-ordinator for HIV/AIDS.
“Besides many others, late Toshi had served as the spokesman of Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO), General Secretary, ENPO, and as a member of in bilateral talks between the Ministry of HomeAffairs (MHA), Government of India (GoI), and the ENPO,” Longkumer said.
The Speaker also mentioned that late Toshi has worked on issues with the Government of Nagaland, Government of India and Myanmar relating to international border pillars and survey at the same time added that late Toshi was actively involved in wildlife conservation particularly along the Mt. Saramati and cross border areas.
Minister, Planning and Parliamentary Affairs, Neiba Kronu, while offering condolences on behalf of Nagaland Government, termed late Toshi as one of the most dynamic, visionary and forward looking leader who always had the passion to work for the people and look into the issues which mattered for the community.
He said as a student leader, late Toshi was known for analyzing and understanding things and taking them further for the benefit of the society and had proved himself to be a person of high intellectual who never failed to enrich the people through his incisive thoughts on any matter which concerns the people of Nagaland.
Neiba also said that on Toshi’s demise, Nagas have lost a forceful and magnetic public leader and termed his demise as irreplaceable.
Leader of the opposition in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, T.R. Zeliang in his eulogy termed late Toshi as a man of simplicity and a promising leader of the Nagas whose immense contributions to the cause of the Nagas particularly Eastern Nagaland will be ever remembered.
He also noted late Toshi’s participation both within and outside the country as remarkable.
Convenor, PDA, and President, NDPP, Chingwang Konyak, said that late Toshi was actively associated with various organizations including civil societies and NGOs and had played a major role as the spokesman of ENPO, general secretary, ENPO, and advisor, ENPO.
He said that late Toshi had also worked tirelessly for the socio-economic and political development of Frontier Nagaland.
Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Nagaland, S. Pangnyu Phom, while delivering a short speech on behalf of the Eastern Nagaland Legislator’s Union (ENLU), said that the demise of Toshi Wungtung at such a prime age was unexpected and painful and also a colossal loss for the Nagas.
Stating that late Toshi was one of the stalwarts of Nagaland whose leadership is manifested along withthe contributions he made to the society with his strong political views, Pangnyu further said thatwith his ever willing energetic, late Toshi was instrumental in the reorganization of the Village Guards and also initiated many developmental projects with various Ministries at the Central level forthe development of Eastern Nagaland.
Later, the mortal remains of late Toshi Wungtung was airlifted to Shamatore town for the last rites.
A native of Shamator under Tuensang district in Nagaland, late Toshi Wungtung entered the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) for the first time in 2018 when he was elected as a representative from 58 Shamator-Chessore Assembly Constituency.
