The Hueiyen Lanpao (Meitei: /hūē-ī-yen lān-pāō/), often abbreviated as HL, is an Indian Meitei languagedaily newspaper circulated mainly in the Northeast Indian state of Manipur. As Meitei language is written in both Meitei script and Bengali script, the Hueiyen Lanpao is printed in the editions of both the writing systems.[1][2]
It is the second most widely read daily newspaper in Meitei language, just after The Sangai Express, as per the reports of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (India), having average qualifying sales of more than 21,000-23,000 copies in between January-June to July-December 2019.[3]
Hueiyen Lanpao has a sub group titled "Hueiyen Lanpao Columnists' Forum" (HLCF), formed in November 2012.[4]
Twin offices
Hueiyen Lanpao has twin offices namely, "Hueiyen Lanpao City and Lanpao Advertising" at Mani Tower Building, Thangal market in Imphal West district. It was established to bring a close connectivity to the general public in information sharing activities. It was inaugurated by Thangjam Dhabali in the presence of Hueiyen Lanpao Group of Publications official members.[5]
Rules and regulations
As of October 2011, the Hueiyen Lanpao had laid its rules and regulations regarding media publicity as follows:
1) All those who submit press releases in Hueiyen Lanpao office are requested to submit three copies of the same along with necessary seal and signature.
2) Anybody submitting press releases or mails in compliance with the code of conduct of AMWJU are requested to ensure the same reach the office of Hueiyen Lanpao by 8 pm.
3) Programme organizers are requested to ensure the invitations reach the office of Hueiyen Lanpao at least a day in advance of the programme date.
4) If any of the press notes, mails or news of the programmes do not conform to the above stated norms, we request individuals and organizations not to mind if the same is not published or the programme not covered.
Moreover, whether a news report or coverage should be carried or not would depend on the situation/circumstances.
5) No one should give any money or gift to any news staff of Hueiyen Lanpao when they come to cover news and individual or organizations concern are requested not to bear no ill-feeling if such paid news is not carried.
Huieyen Lanpao, once again, reaffirms its stand not to entertain any paid news.
6) News items would be carried in consideration of their worth even without gifts or money, and the notion that a news item would not be published without being paid should be given up.
In 2013, upon the achievement of the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award 2012, for authoring a novel "Mathou Kanba DNA" by Jodhachandra Sharma, a columnist writer of Hueiyen Lanpao English edition, the Hueiyen Lanpao Group of Publications honoured him through felicitation, presenting a shawl and a memento to the writer.[7]
State Journalist Awards
2015
In 2015, journalists of Hueiyen Lanpao won four out of the eight Manipur State Journalist Awards, in different categories, instituted by the Directorate of Information and Public Relation (DIPR) of Manipur Government.
The winners are Gyanand Naorem, awarded for best reporting on rural reporting, Mutum Rameshchandra, awarded for best reporting on Public Health & Hygiene, Ashem Babycha, awarded for best reporting on women and child, and Wangkhem Rishikesh, awarded for best reporting on sports.
They were later honoured on National Press Day held on 16 November of the same year.[8]
2013
In 2013, Satyajit Usham, the editor of Hueiyen Lanpao (English edition) achieved the prestigious award for "Best Editor" on account of his writings on national integration and communal harmony. At the same time, Ratneshwori Goswami and Maisnam Karnajit of Hueiyen Lanpao also achieved the State Journalists' Awards for the best reporting in sports and health & hygiene respectively.[9][10]
2011
In 2011, Amukhomba Ngangbam and Ningthoukhongjam Sanajaoba Meetei, two media staff reporters of Hueiyen Lanpao, achieved the prestigious State Journalist Award on the National Press Day.
Amukhomba was awarded for best reporting in science and technology and Sanajaoba Meetei for best reporting in rural topics.[11]
Eco Journalist Award
In 2015, Nomita Khongbantabam, a senior staff member of Hueiyen Lanpao was bestowed with the prestigious Eco Journalist Award 2015 on World Environment Day, by the Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Lamphelpat, Imphal.[12]
Chingsubam Akaba Memorial Journalist Award
In 2015, Meisnam Karnajit, a journalist of Hueiyen Lanpao, was bestowed with the prestigious Chingsubam Akaba Memorial Journalist Awards 2014-15, on the 71st birth anniversary of the late leader Chingsubam Akaba at Thawai village under Phungyar Assembly constituency of Ukhrul district.[13]
RK Sanatomba Journalist Award
In 2011, Amukhomba Ngangbam, a media staff reporter of Hueiyen Lanpao achieved the prestigious RK Sanatomba Journalist Award 2011, which is given by the family of Late RK Sanatomba, an editor of Kangla Lanpao, under the organisation of the RK Sanatomba Memorial Trust, Imphal.[14]
Best female reporter
In 2010, Salam Kamala, a media staff reporter of Hueiyen Lanpao was honoured as the "Best female reporter of 2009" on the 28th foundation day of the evening daily Kangleipaki Meira, for her works on journalism.[15]
Other honours
In September 2011, the publisher, editor and staff members of Hueiyen Lanpao were honoured with facilitation by Major General Binoy Poonnen, VSM, GOC of Red Shield Division on the 3rd anniversary event, for their "courage in honest and truthful reporting without fear or favour in both its English and vernacular editions."[16]
In September, 2012, on the 4th foundation day, Hueiyen Lanpao was honoured by Leishemba Sanajaoba, the Maharaja (King) of Manipur, Moirangthem Okendro, the then Minister of
Education and Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution, Government of Manipur, RV Mingthing, former minister of Government of Manipur, Satyajit Singh, the then President of the North American Bangladesh Manipuri Society, Hamom Promud, the then President of THE MANIPURI (Manipuri Cultural Development, Promotion & Study Centre), Canada.[17]
Hacking of official website incident
On 28 September 2010, a webserver bharat.serverforhost.com was hacked around 12:30 IST, replacing the index.php of all websites hosted under that server, including the official website of Hueiyen Lanpao.
Later, Hueiyen Lanpao's official website was restored back to normalcy on 29 September 2010.[18]
Contributions to art and culture
Hueiyen Rendezvous
Hueiyen Lanpao organises a cultural event titled "Hueiyen Rendezvous",
at the Literary Hall of Hueiyen Lanpao office building, where Pena (Meitei: ꯄꯦꯅꯥ) and Khongjom Parva (Meitei: ꯈꯣꯡꯖꯣꯝ ꯄꯔꯕ) art form is practised by artists. It is a part of the steps to preserve and promote the endangered indigenous and traditional musical and performing art forms of Meitei culture of Manipur.[19][20][21]
Hueiyen Rendezvous also gives social platforms for the performance of the endangered art form of Moirang Sai.[22]
Memorandum
In February 2013, Hueiyen Lanpao Columnists' Forum urged the Commissioner of Art & Culture, Government of Manipur, through the submission of memorandum, to
give recognition of Pena (musical instrument) and 'Khongjom Parva', two highly underrated traditional musical elements of Meitei culture of Manipur, in the curriculum and syllabus of the Government Music College as well as to introduce a legal policy to preserve other endangered traditional art and cultural elements of Manipur.[23]
Hueiyen Lanpao Literary Award
Hueiyen Lanpao annually gives the Hueiyen Lanpao Literary Award to notable writers of Meitei literature.
The recipient of the first Hueiyen Lanpao Literary Award-2013 is Longjam Joychandra (Meitei: ꯂꯣꯡꯖꯝ ꯖꯣꯌꯆꯟꯗ꯭ꯔ), awarded for his work on 2009 Meitei language literary criticism named "Manipuri Sahitya" (Meitei: ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯤ ꯁꯥꯍꯤꯇ꯭ꯌ).[24]
In 2014, Irungbam Deven achieved the prestigious Hueiyen Lanpao Literary Award 2014 for authoring a book of poems, named "Numit Ama, Punsi Ama" (Meitei: ꯅꯨꯃꯤꯠ ꯑꯃ, ꯄꯨꯟꯁꯤ ꯑꯃ).[25]
Opinion survey and documentation of underrated Meitei royalties
In 2013, Hueiyen Lanpao organised a public opinion survey in relation to the decision of the Manipur State Cabinet regarding the confiscation of the Sana Konung (Meitei for 'Royal Palace') to convert it into a historical monument.
On the very occasion, Hueiyen Lanpao proceeded to interview the five queen consorts of the late king Bodhachandra of Manipur Kingdom to know more about the very Sana Konung (Meitei: ꯁꯅꯥ ꯀꯣꯅꯨꯡ).[26]
Essay competitions
Marking the 4th Foundation Day of English and Meetei Mayek edition of Hueiyen Lanpao, in 2012, the Hueiyen Lanpao Group of Publications organised an essay writing competition for students, on the theme "Meeteilon Eikhoina Yokhatkadabani, Leingakpasingtana Chaokhathanba Ngamloi" (Meitei for 'No Government Agency alone can develop Meeteilon, we ourselves have to take the onus').[27][28]
Painting competitions
In October-November 2012, Hueiyen Lanpao Group of Publications organised a painting competition for young students in the Literary Hall of Hueiyen Lanpao, in which more than 200 students of classes, III to V in two categories, from different educational institutions across Manipur got participation.[29]
Monetary helps
Help to groups
In October 2014, the Hueiyen Lanpao Group of Publications, in collaboration with the Far East India Solidarity Forum, received donations from the people of Manipur for the "Assam & Meghalaya Flood Relief Fund" to give monetary help to the flood victims of Assam and Meghalaya.[30]
Help to individuals
In 2015, Hueiyen Lanpao Group of Publications gave monetary help to the family of a 7 years old child named Sapam Sanamatum, son of late Sapam Sanatomba of Sapam Laibung Leikai in Thoubal district, who was diagnosed with an unknown health complication.[31][32]
In 2015 itself again, the Hueiyen Lanpao Group of Publications gave another monetary help to a 34 years old newspaper hawker named Konsam Johnson, who was suffering from an injury after a road accident where a vehicle had hit him.[33]
Rescue of a barking deer
In May 2013, members of Hueiyen Lanpao, in collaboration with those of People for Animal (PFA), Thoubal, rescued a barking deer from Moirang Kokibon Leikai.
The deer was found with a broken left hind limb due to fall in a water reservoir, after being spotted around a pig sty inside a village.
After bringing the deer out of water, the volunteers informed the authorities of Keibul Lamjao National Park as well as Manipur Zoological Garden.[34]
In August 2015, Willar Leimapokpam, a staff member of Hueiyen Lanpao (English Edition) was physically assaulted by five police commandos, who were later enquired by the authorities concerned, after "All Manipur Working Journalists Union" (AMWJU) had set a deadline of 48 hours to take required actions against the policemen involved in the crime.[36][37]
