ITANAGAR, 23 May: Former Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) chairman Nabam Atum passed away after a brief illness on Thursday at his residence in Doimukh.
The Indigenous Faith & Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP) has expressed deep shock and grief over the demise of its former president Nabam Atum.
In a condolence message, the IFCSAP said, “Nabam Atum was born to late Nabam Epo and late Nabam Yeni in 1948 in Priapu village in Papum Pare district and dedicated his life from his school days for protection and preservation of the age old Donyi-Polo faith of the Nyishi people when the people were ignorant about how to protect the same from extinction.”
“After graduation, he was the district information & public relations officer for eight years, and during that time he toured the nook and corner of the Nyishi-majority areas of the then undivided Lower Subansiri district and educated the local people not to embrace any new religion,” the message said.
“He became one of the pioneers in the formation the IFCSAP in 1999, and since then he was associated deeply in the indigenous faith movement and spreading the movement throughout the different tribes of the state.
“As president of the Arunachal Vikash Parishad from 1997 to 2010 and president of the IFCSAP from 2007 to 2010, he was able to synchronise the activities of both the organisations and provided a momentum to the movement,” the message read.
It added that, “as a founder member of the Donyi-Polo Nyedar Namlo of Nyishi and chief adviser to the Nyishi Indigenous Faith & Cultural Society, he was rendering yeoman’s service for the cause of preserving and promoting Donyi-Poloism through various training programmes for priests, while motivating youths.
“He was awarded the One India Award in 2012, and the IFCSAP Ratna Award in 2016 for his achievements in the field of social and human services,” the message read.
In a condolence meeting at the IFCSAP office in Chimpu on Thursday, members of the IFCSAP conveyed sincere condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul.
“His premature demise has created a vacuum which will be difficult to fill in the immediate future, but his legacies of greatness will continue to inspire people for generations,” the IFCSAP said.
State BJP mourns Atum
The state BJP also mourned the demise of Atum, who was also the former
“Late Nabam Atum was an eminent social activist who rendered his valuable service to the people of Arunachal Pradesh in various capacities during his long career. He served as president of the Arunachal Vikas Parishad, adviser to the Nishi Indigenous Faith & Cultural Society, president of the Indigenous Faith & Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh, etc.
“He was conferred with One India Award by My Home Organisation for National Integration in 2012 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was then the chief minister of Gujarat,” the party said in a condolence message.
Terming his demise a great loss for the state, the party prayed to the almighty for eternal peace of the departed soul, and for strength to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss.
