“Of course, background really doesn’t matter to live and achieve our dream. What matters most is the firm determination one has to linger on to achieve the desired target. It is natural to face some teething troubles such as mockery, ridicules when one starts a venture. However, those mockery, ridicules could not stop me from realizing my dream to be an IAS officer. My only strategy was that great things could not be achieved without taking risk. Life was so hard at the initial stage, but I was confident of turning my dream into reality. And today, I look back with absolutely no regrets”.
This was the motivating speech from Armstrong Pamei, an IAS officer of 2009 batch, brought up in a humble family background, who attended the INSPIRATION Episode 2 as resource person organised by Dynamic Manipur under the sponsorship of WiseWorld Immigration and Education Consultant, Korea Manipuri Association (KMA), North American Manipur Association, NAMA, Manipur Times and Manipur Institute of Management studies, MIMS, MU while motivating the students from various school, colleges gathered at MIMS lecture hall on June 6 2014.
29 years old, Armstrong Pame, a young promising IAS officer, was highly instrumental in bringing developmental change and joy to the people of Tousem sub division by providing the villagers what they needed the most – a motorable 100 km stretch road that connects them to the outside world without any aid from the Government.
“Life was very tough! I remember those days when we were brought up by or parents in a thatched roof house. Father was a carpenter and mother a simple and illiterate housewife. The first ever my family had a CGI sheet roofed house was after our house got burnt in 1998. With some financial support from the local MLA, our house was constructed. Rain water falling down through leaked roof used to disturb our sleep. My brothers and sisters spent many rainy nights sleeping in the kitchen where rainwater could not come in. Despite all these, I moved on and on towards realizing my dream of life”, recalled Armstrong Pamei sharing his hardship journey of life.
M. Muktamani Devi, a National Awardee and Proprietor, Mukta Shoes Industry, Kakching while delivering on the topic “Artisans as Micro Entrepreneurs Empowering Local Women Community”, said, “As I got married at a very young age of 17, I faced many hardships in starting a separate family of our own. My father in law told us to start a separate family of our own and gave us four Phou Shangbai (a Manipuri measuring unit for Paddy) for the purpose. For earning, I did many works including going to field and working under scorching sun, which I did not have prior experience of such works. Under the guidance of some local woman elders, I gradually began learning how to work and earn a living by way of working in the field. After field work in day time, I worked on knitting carry bags and hair bands at night time and with that, finished products were sold to market.
She said that there is ample job opportunity if a man has works hard. Her shoe industry is providing direct employment to at least 30 local women and able to fetch Rs. 30000 as average monthly turnover and more than 1000 women have been given training on shoe making so far. Heavy demand come from outside, said she and added that for any woman who desires to earn a living through the craft, her shoe industry always opens its door to provide training on the art.
Expressing her concern over vanishing of the craft after her death, she said, “I wish to write a book on the shoe making craft so as to pass the knowledge of the craft to coming generation. I love this art very much as it has been so instrumental to live to the present stage. Writing a book will help the coming generation to carry on the craft”.
M. Shubhra Devi, Managing Director, Meira Foods said that “When I was studying in Rajasthan, my mother used to send me packaged foods made in Myanmar imported via Moreh. In fact, our children are very fond of food items imported via Moreh and this poor state is throwing away crores of rupees on purchasing Moreh products. I used to ask myself as to why we are unable to produce such packaged food items despite good resources here while the Myanmarese are successful in exporting their products to our state. With the objectives ahead to save the huge amount being thrown away while providing jobs to many unemployed youths of the state, Meira foods started its venture.
She said that with only Rs.100 investment, she began her business venture on packaged food Industry in 2004. She along with three women workers started processing Heikru salty on trial and error basis for the first time at her home. The profit from selling the food items was not wasted on personal use but re-invested again for higher growth, she said, and added that by doing so, she could promote her business growth with an impressive annual turnover of more than 50 lakhs and targeting 1 crore for the year 2014.
Delivering on the topic “On the journey of Shija towards Medical Tourism”Dr. Palin, Managing Director cum Chairman, Shija Hospital and Research Institute, Langol said that the present Shija Hospital and Research Institute, a pioneer 200 bedded multispecialty hospital with 36 critical beds and 21 departments, started its journey as a Clinic with only a consultation chamber with minor operation theatre attached to a pharmacy located at Paona bazaar in 1985.
It is utmost important to visualize the target first before one kickstarts his journey to achieve the target he desires. Converting a task considered to be impossible into possible entirely depends on proper utilization of human intellectual capital “human brain”. It is natural for any entrepreneur to face three stages -ridicule, opposition and acceptance when he starts climbing the ladder to success. Inconveniences are the root cause to success and one should turn Inconvenience to advantage. I too faced lots of inconveniences while I was running a small clinic at RIMS road in terms of architecture and environment which compelled me to seek an alternative place. Once, a patient felt down from the stretcher while being transported from the operation theatre to bed on the staircase, recalled Dr. Palin.
In a query raised by a girl student, Dr. Palin replied that despite Shija hospital charges high in treatment of patients, it sometimes works for the poor and helpless people. Poor patients possessing RSBY smart cards and BPL cards are given free treatment. His hospital sometimes is compelled to discharge poor patients without getting the actual amount of treatment charge, said he and added that the high treatment charge as considered by the people is due to high expensive technology installed in the hospital trying to compete in the global health care sector.
Prof. N. Rajmuhon, Chemistry Department, MU while delivering his resourceful speech on the topic “Current trends of research activities in india” motivated the students by referring to the dedicated works of great scientist like Abdul Salam, first novel laureate of Pakistan and CV Raman.
He elaborated the works taken up to promote basic science in the state by Manipur Association for promotion of science, MAPS with his colleagues Professor N. Nimai, Physics department and Devananda Ningthoujam, Biochemistry department, MU.
N. Jiten Singh, Chief Co-ordinator, Dynamic Manipur who is also the Chairman, Manipur Times, while giving the welcome address, mentioned the importance of organizing Inspiration program and wished that the students one day become successful persons.
Valuable talks from prominent resource persons referring to their life struggle towards achieving their desired goal may be helpful in motivating the young mindsets of the students. For this purpose, such event is organized, added Jiten.
Naorem Brajendra Singh, President Dynamic Manipur said that Dynamic Manipur is a non-profit organization with a Motto of Dynamic Change for Dynamic Manipur and vision of “Inspire and Empower the Youths; Create a Prosperous Manipur. The society aims to promote and nurture the concept of dynamic change by inspiring the youths, stirring the minds of thinkers and spurring the actions of the entire population toward uplifting of Manipur.
About Dynamic Manipur : Dynamic Manipur is a non-profit organization with a Motto of “Dynamic Change for Dynamic Manipur!” and vision of “Inspire and Empower the Youths; Create a Prosperous Manipur!”
The society aims to promote and nurture the concept of dynamic change by inspiring the youths, stirring the minds of thinkers and spurring the actions of the entire population toward uplifting of Manipur.
https://www.facebook.com/DynamicManipur and Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/DynamicManipur
