ZIRO, 12 Oct: Septuagenarian and one of the most prominent personalities of the Apatani community,Lod Kojee, breathed his last at the TRIHMS in Naharlagun on Sunday morning. His mortal remainsare being brought to his native hometown Ziro for the last rites.
Kojee was born to Lod Siira in Kalung village in Lower Subansiri district in 1946. He was the first Apatani to matriculate in 1963, and was among the first batch to graduate in 1969.
After matriculation, he joined the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and passed the pre-university examination from there. He then graduated from Jawaharlal Nehru College, Pasighat, then under the Guwahati University.
In 1967, Kojee organized the first modified and centrally celebrated Dree festival of the Apatanis in Nenchalyang, Ziro. He was also an active member of the
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and led a group of 50 students from the then NEFA to Bombay in 1966 on an interstate exposure tour.
Kojee passed the Arunachal Pradesh Civil Service Examination and joined the state civil service on 15 March, 1971. During the course of his service life, he established the Balijan circle headquarters in 1976,now in Papum Pare district.
On 18 January, 1977, Kojee joined as youth coordinator of the Nehru Yuva Kendra, Ziro, under the ministry of human resource development, Government of India, on deputation.
In 1983, he was selected from among the Northeastern states of India to participate in the Commonwealth youth programme diploma course for six months, sponsored by the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, which had participants from 32 Commonwealth countries.
During the course, he visited Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. He also attended the ‘Appreciation Course in Parliamentary Process and Procedures’, organized by the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training, Lok Sabha secretariat, GoI, in August 1985.
Kojee was the founder chairman of the Lower Subansiri Government Employees’ Cooperative Housing Society, established in 1984, which now runs the Blue Pine School, Hapoli.
Kojee was promoted to APCS (senior grade) in 1989. In 1992, he returned to his parent department and was posted as EAC in Tezu and Ziro.
After his promotion to APCS (selection grade) in 1996, Kojee was posted in Tawang, Upper Subansiri and Changlang districts as additional deputy commissioner.
In recognition of his meritorious services, on 20 February, 2001, Kojee was awarded the state Silver Medal for meritorious administrative service by the state government.
On 5 February, 2003, Kojee was promoted to APCS (administrative grade) and posted as joint secretary, general administration, district administration and transport. Kojee finally retired as director of art and culture on 29 February, 2004.
Post retirement, Kojee founded the Government Employee Pensioners’ Welfare Association, Ziro unit on 3 June, 2005. He was also one of the patrons of the Arunachal Vikas Parishad.
Kojee was inducted as a member of the Arunachal Pradesh State Security Commission for the tenure 2007 to 2009.
On 9 August, 2009, he was selected as the chief adviser to the Meder Nello Council of the Apatani community. On 12 October, 2014, Kojee was selected as the vice president (west zone) of the Indigenous Faith & Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP) for the tenure 2014 to 2017.
He was also selected as president of the All Arunachal Pradesh State Government Pensioners Association on 10 February, 2020.
In 2021, Kojee was appointed as one of the members of the Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Affairs Council. He was also one of the members of the governing council of the Tanw Supung Dukuñ from 10.5.2022 to 11.5.2025.
Meanwhile, Tanw Supung Dukuñ president Pura Sambyo and general secretary Hage Komo expressed deep sorrow over the passing away of Kojee, and offered condolences to the bereaved family.
