ITANAGAR, May 12: Several prominent organizations, including the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum (AITF), the Nyishi Elite Society (NES), the Adi Baane Kebang (ABK), the Tanw Supun Dukun (TSD), and the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), have mourned the untimely demise of Galo Welfare Society (GWS) president Dr Minge Loyi, who passed away on Saturday evening after a brief illness.
Dr Loyi breathed his last near Boginadi, Assam, on the way to his native place, Aalo, from Guwahati. He had suffered a cardiac arrest while attending a meeting of the North East Forum for Indigenous People in Shillong, Meghalaya, on 30 April.
A native of Pakam village in West Siang district, Dr Loyi had graduated from Assam Veterinary College, Khanapara, Guwahati, in 1991 and joined as a veterinary officer in the animal husbandry & diary development department in 1991. He was promoted to the post of district veterinary officer in 2008, and was serving as the Papum Pare DVO from 2013 till his demise.
Dr Loyi was a social worker since his student days. He had served as the vice president of the GWS from 2013 to 2016, and as the GWS general secretary from 2016 to 2019, before eventually being entrusted with the responsibility of the GWS president in January this year.
Dr Loyi was an ex-officio member of the AITF, and was representing the forum at the second general conference of the North East Forum for Indigenous People in Shillong on 30 April, where he fell ill.
Expressing deep shock at his demise, the AITF described him as one of the finest gentlemen, officers and social activists, and a true leader.
“It is a great loss not only for the Galo community but for the entire Northeast states,” the AITF said in a condolence message to the bereaved family.
The NES in its condolence message to the bereaved family said, “Dr Minge Loyi was known for his sincerity, dedication, administrative competence and technical acumen in his profession and other fields of activities.
Expressing condolences to the bereaved family, the ABK said, “We have lost a social worker and a good human being in his death.”
The TSD in its condolence message said, “His death has created a great vacuum which cannot be filled up by anyone. The society has lost a great philanthropist and social worker who selflessly contributed for social uplift and communal harmony.”
Remembering the selfless services of Dr Loyi towards the cause of the indigenous communities of the state, the AAPSU said, “In his untimely demise, we have lost not just a fine gentlemen but a selfless social leader of our state.”
“It is indeed one of the saddest moments in the history of Galo Gumin that we have lost a great personality, a philosopher and a leader who immensely contributed for the welfare and cause of the Galo society,” the Karko Ao Welfare Association said in its condolence message.
Mourning the death of Dr Loyi, the Arunachal Pradesh Veterinary Association (APVA), said, “The department has lost one of its promising, dynamic and efficient officers.” It said the APVA would always remember Dr Loyi’s contributions towards the association, the department and the society as a whole during his lifetime.
The Galo People’s Front (GPF) in its condolence message said Dr Loyi was loved and respected by the entire Galo society and he played a pivotal role in reshaping the Galo society. “Dr Loyi was instrumental in conceptualizing and identifying the location for the Galo Heritage Centre in Barum. In his death, the Galo society has lost a true son,” the GPF added.
“The untimely demise of Dr Loyi is a great loss for his family, the society, the employees’ fraternity in particular and the state as a whole,” said the Confederation of Service Associations of Arunachal Pradesh (CoSAAP) in its condolence message, adding that the vacuum created by the demise of Dr Loyi could not be filled soon.
The CoSAAP appealed to the state government, particularly the animal husbandry, veterinary & dairy development department, to provide immediate relief services, including compassionate appointment in a government job, to the family of Dr Loyi.
“The death of Dr Loyi is a big loss for the Galo society,” the Kargu Kardi Welfare Society (KKWS) said in its condolence message.
The Theravada Buddhist Society (TBS) of Itanagar has also mourned Dr Loyi’s demise.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Dr Loyi, and he will be truly missed. He will be always remembered in our daily prayers,” TBS chairman CD Mungyak said.