[ Karyir Riba ]
ROING, 16 Dec: The Idu Mishmi Cultural and Literary Society (IMCLS) has expressed profound sorrow over the passing away of Kumar Mihu, one of the earliest and most respected artists of the Idu Mishmi community.
Born in the mid 1940s in Emaywu, presently known as Nizamghat, along the Talon river (now Dibang river), late Mihu devoted his life to the preservation and promotion of the Idu Mishmi culture. His early years were spent in Aoli Mrambo village, followed by Tezu. He later settled in Itanagar during the 1980s, where he continued his cultural engagements.
Late Mihu was a pioneering voice of the community. In the early 1970s, he rendered numerous Idu Mishmi songs on All India Radio, taking the rich oral traditions of the community to a wider national audience at a time when very few indigenous voices found such platforms. Beyond music, he played a significant role in the development and nurturing of several Idu Mishmi cultural programmes, inspiring younger generations to value and uphold their heritage.
Notably, he was closely associated with the first known recorded trekking and documentation of the revered Idu Mishmi heritage site ‘Athupopu’ in Dibang Valley district, making a historic contribution towards cultural memory, heritage mapping, and community consciousness.
IMCLS remembered late Mihu as “a vibrant, committed, and visionary personality whose artistic and cultural contributions will continue to resonate within the Idu Mishmi society and beyond.”
His life’s work stands as a testament to dedication, cultural pride, and service to the community, it said.
“The IMCLS extends its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, relatives, and admirers. We pray that his departed soul rests in eternal peace and that his legacy continues to inspire generations to come,” said the IMCLS.
