Manipur

This article is about the modern day state of India. For the eponymous kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, see Manipura (Mahabharata). For other uses, see Manipur (disambiguation).
"Jewel of India" redirects here. For the highest civilian award of the Republic of India, see Bharat Ratna.

Manipur
State
Clockwise from top: the Sanamahi Kiyong in the Nongmaiching Ching mountain, the Ima Keithel (Ima Market), the dual statues of the Kanglā shā dragons, the Loktak lake, the Temple of Pakhangba inside the Kangla Fort, the Manipuri classical dance, the Marjing Polo Statue
Official emblem of Manipur
Emblem of Manipur
Anthem: Sanā leibāk Manipur
(Meitei for 'Manipur, Land of Gold')[1]
The map of India showing Manipur
Location of Manipur in India
Coordinates: 24°49′N 93°56′E / 24.81°N 93.94°E / 24.81; 93.94
CountryIndia
RegionNortheast India
Before wasManipur State[2][3][4][5]
Admission to union15 October 1949[6]
As union territory1 November 1956
As state21 January 1972
Capital
and largest city		Imphal
Districts16
Government
 • BodyGovernment of Manipur
 • GovernorLakshaman Acharya
 • Chief ministerN. Biren Singh[7] (BJP)
State LegislatureUnicameral
 • AssemblyManipur Legislative Assembly (60 seats)
National ParliamentParliament of India
 • Rajya Sabha1 seat
 • Lok Sabha2 seats
High CourtManipur High Court
Area
 • Total
22,327 km2 (8,621 sq mi)
 • Rank23rd
Population
 (2011)[8][9]
 • Total
2,855,794
 • Rank23rd
 • Density130/km2 (300/sq mi)
 • Urban
30.21%
 • Rural
69.79%
Language
 • OfficialManipuri
 • Official scriptMeitei script
GDP
 • Total (2024–25)₹0.527 lakh crore (US$6.3 billion)
 • Rank28th
 • Per capita₹91,559 (US$1,100) (27th)
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)
ISO 3166 codeIN-MN
Vehicle registrationMN
HDI (2018)0.696[10] (15th)
Literacy (2011)76.94% (18th)
Sex ratio (2011)985♀/1000 ♂
Websitemanipur.gov.in
Symbols of Manipur
Emblem of Manipur
SongSanā leibāk Manipur
(Meitei for 'Manipur, Land of Gold')[1]
Bird
Nongin
(Meitei for 'Syrmaticus humiae')
Fish
Pengba
(Meitei for 'Osteobrama belangeri')[11]
Flower
Shirui lily (Lilium mackliniae)
Mammal
Sangai
(Meitei for 'Cervus eldi eldi')
Tree
Uningthou
(Meitei for 'Phoebe hainesiana')
List of Indian state symbols
Meetei Mayek
This article contains the Meitei alphabet. Without proper rendering support, you may see errors in display.

Manipur (/ˌmʌnɪˈpʊər/,[12] US also /ˌmænɪˈpʊər/;[13] Meitei: Kangleipak[a][14][15][16]) is a state in northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital.[17] It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanmar, Sagaing Region to the east and Chin State to the south. The state covers an area of 22,327 km2 (8,621 sq mi). The official and most widely spoken language is the Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri). Native to the Meitei people, it is also used as a lingua franca by smaller communities, who speak a variety of other Tibeto-Burman languages.[18] Manipur has been at the crossroads of Asian economic and cultural exchange for more than 2,500 years.[19] This exchange connects the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia to Southeast Asia, East Asia, Siberia, regions in the Arctic, Micronesia and Polynesia enabling migration of people, cultures and religions.[20][21]

During the days of the British Raj, Manipur was one of the princely states.[22] On 11 August 1947, Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh signed an Instrument of Accession, argued by many that the king was in no legal position to sign the instrument of accession at the time,[23][24][25] under the agreement Bodhachandra Singh accede to the Indian Union.[26][27] Later, on 21 September 1949, he signed a Merger Agreement, disputed as having been done without consultation of the popular ministry under Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 and denial of the king's request to return to Manipur to discuss the same with his people.[28][29][30][31] Under 'duress' and 'coercion' Bodhachandra Singh signed the merger agreement merging the kingdom into India, which led to its becoming a Part C State.[32][33][34] Followed by contestation of the merger by groups in Manipur, resulting in a 50-year insurgency in the state for independence from India.[35] From 2009 through 2018, the conflict was responsible for the violent deaths of over 1000 people.[36]

The Meitei people[37] represent around 53% of the population of Manipur state, followed by various Naga tribes at 20% and Kuki-Zo tribes at 16%.[38] Manipur's ethnic groups practice a variety of religions.[39] According to 2011 census, Hinduism and Christianity are the major religions of the state.[39][40] Between the 1961 and 2011 censuses of India, the share of Hindus in the state declined from 62% to 41%, while the share of Christians rose from 19% to 41%.[41]

Manipur has primarily an agrarian economy, with significant hydroelectric power generation potential. It is connected to other areas by daily flights through Imphal Airport, the second largest in northeastern India.[42] Manipur is home to many sports and the origin of Manipuri dance,[43] and is credited with introducing polo to Europeans.[44]

  1. ^ "'Sana Leibak Manipur' adopted as State Song by Cabinet". 12 August 2021.
  2. ^ Banerjee, S. K. (1958). "Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947". The Indian Journal of Political Science. 19 (1): 35–38. ISSN 0019-5510. Manipur became independent with the lapse of paramountcy. Later, Manipur merged with India in 1949
  3. ^ Devi, Dr S. Jayalaxmi; Singh, Dr W. Dhiren; Devi, Dr Th Mina (23 December 2019). "Bir Tikendrajit Singh: The Unsung Hero Of Northeast India". Think India Journal. 22 (14): 9683–9690. ISSN 0971-1260. Manipur had enjoyed sovereign status until it was occupied by the British in 1891
  4. ^ Hanjabam, Shukhdeba Sharma (1 April 2008). "The Meitei upsurge in Manipur". Asia Europe Journal. 6 (1): 157–169. doi:10.1007/s10308-007-0167-6. ISSN 1612-1031.
  5. ^ Subramanian, K. S. (5 October 2015). State, Policy and Conflicts in Northeast India. Routledge & CRC Press. pp. 31–32. ISBN 978-1-317-39651-2. With the lapse of British paramountcy in 1947, the state reverted to its pre-1891 autonomy...
  6. ^ SINHA, L. P. (1987). "The Politics and Government of Manipur". The Indian Journal of Political Science. 48 (4): 487–493. ISSN 0019-5510. JSTOR 41855332.
  7. ^ BJP leader Biren Singh sworn in as Manipur Chief Minister Archived 15 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine, India Today (15 March 2017)
  8. ^ "Primary Census Abstract Data Tables (India & States/UTs - District Level)". Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Manipur Population Sex Ratio in Manipur Literacy rate data". census2011.co.in. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  10. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Subnational HDI - Global Data Lab". globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  11. ^ "State Fishes of India" (PDF). National Fisheries Development Board, Government of India. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
  12. ^ "Manipur". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Manipur". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster.
  14. ^ Sanajaoba, Naorem (1988). Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization. Mittal Publications. p. 89. ISBN 978-81-7099-853-2.
  15. ^ Yamahata, Chosein (2022). Social Transformations in India, Myanmar, and Thailand: Identity and Grassroots for Democratic Progress. Springer Nature. p. 242. ISBN 978-981-16-7110-4.
  16. ^ Sahoo, Ajaya K. (30 March 2021). Routledge Handbook of Asian Diaspora and Development. Routledge. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-000-36686-0.
  17. ^ Manipur: Treatise & Documents, Volume 1, ISBN 978-8170993995, Introduction
  18. ^ "Manipuri language". Britannica. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  19. ^ Naorem Sanajaoba (editor), Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization, Volume 4, Chapter 1: NK Singh, ISBN 978-8170998532
  20. ^ Naorem Sanajaoba (editor), Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization, Volume 4, Chapter 4: K Murari, ISBN 978-8170998532
  21. ^ "Trade connection of Manipur with Southeast Asia in Pre British period Part 2 by Budha Kamei".
  22. ^ Naorem Sanajaoba (Editor), Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization, Volume 4, Chapter 2: NT Singh, ISBN 978-8170998532
  23. ^ Sanatomba, Interrogation into the political status of Manipur (2015), pp. 172–193: "Furthermore, Section 9(b) of the Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947, would certainly dispel any doubt about the titular status of the Maharaja, which was expressedly stated thus: ‘The Maharaja means His Highness, the Maharaja of Manipur, the constitutional head of the state.’ The Maharaja in his capacity as the constitutional ruler could not execute the Instrument without proper authorisation and constitutional endorsement. This was simply on account of the fact that he was not a sovereign ruler and that Manipur was not a sovereign state then. Therefore, the act of signing the Instrument of Accession on 11 August 1947 by the Maharaja could not be considered an Act of the State. Hence, the Instrument was deemed null and void right from the moment it was executed... For example, the Indian Dominion had never existed on or before 11 August 1947. Being so, it can be aptly said that the Maharaja acceded to a political non-entity. Therefore, it can be claimed that the Instrument was never executed in actuality. It was simply pre-judicial to execute the Instrument between two political entities which were yet to be born."
  24. ^ Banerjee, S. K. (1958). "Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947". The Indian Journal of Political Science. 19 (1): 35–38. ISSN 0019-5510. JSTOR 42748891.
  25. ^ Khomdom, Lisam (5 July 2018). "Manipur State Constitution Act-1947 A Cure for all myriads of ailments in Manipur ?". E- Pao.
  26. ^ Why Pre-Merger Political Status for Manipur: Under the Framework of the Instrument of Accession, 1947, Research and Media Cell, CIRCA, 2018, p. 26, GGKEY:8XLWSW77KUZ
  27. ^ Sudhirkumar Singh, Socio-religious and Political Movements 2011, Chapter 6, p. 139
  28. ^ Sanatomba, Interrogating into the Political Status (2015), p. 210: "The Maharaja refused to sign the Merger Agreement without consulting his Council of Ministers and conveyed his desire to return to Manipur to obtain the approval of the people. Rejecting such a reasonable proposal, Nari Rustomji, Advisor to the Governor of Assam, suggested that the Maharaja might as well finalise the merger issue during that current visit only.. (Singh 1988: 106)"
  29. ^ Akoijam, A. Bimol (2001). "How History Repeats Itself". Economic and Political Weekly. 36 (30): 2807–2812. ISSN 0012-9976. JSTOR 4410908. When maharaja Bodhchandra resisted the move to merge Manipur with the Indian union saying that he was only a constitutional monarch and he needed to consult his elected members of the state assembly, the representatives of the union government informed him that the GoI did not recognise the assembly
  30. ^ Phanjoubam, Pradip (14 December 2015). The Northeast Question: Conflicts and frontiers. Routledge. pp. 204–207. ISBN 978-1-317-34004-1. after six days of 'per-suasion', made to sign the Merger Agreement, thereby formally merging Manipur with the Union of India. Repeated pleas by the king that it was his desire to ultimately sign the agreement, but he be first allowed to go home and consult his assembly was turned down...
  31. ^ Adrija, Roychowdhury (26 August 2023). "How Manipur merged with India: From a constitutional monarchy to Part C state". The Indian Express.
  32. ^ U. B. Singh, India Fiscal Federalism in Indian Union (2003), p. 135
  33. ^ K.R. Dikshit; Jutta K Dikshit (2013). North-East India: Land, People and Economy. Springer Science. p. 56. ISBN 978-94-007-7055-3.
  34. ^ Kalpana Kannabiran; Ranbir Singh (2008). Challenging The Rules(s) of Law. SAGE Publications. p. 264. ISBN 978-81-321-0027-0.
  35. ^ Cite error: The named reference hrwm was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  36. ^ Cite error: The named reference satp9413 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  37. ^ Khomdan Singh Lisam, Encyclopaedia Of Manipur, ISBN 978-8178358642, pp. 322–347
  38. ^ "Census of India Website: Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India".
  39. ^ a b "Population by religion community - 2011". Census of India, 2011. The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived from the original on 25 August 2015.
  40. ^ "Hueiyen Lanpao | Official Website Manipur Daily". Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  41. ^ "Christian population on the rise in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur". Hindustan Times. 8 March 2017.
  42. ^ Cite error: The named reference manipuraai was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  43. ^ Reginald Massey 2004, pp. 177–184.
  44. ^ Cite error: The named reference nam.ac.uk was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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