Shillong: The North East India Christian Council (NEICC) expresses its profound sorrow at the passing of Mr. Niketu Iralu, a distinguished Naga thinker, social scientist, peace builder, and advocate of reconciliation. His life and work extended well beyond the boundaries of Nagaland and the North East, and his passing is a significant loss to all who valued his wisdom, integrity, and commitment to peace, dialogue, and human dignity.
During the years he lived in Shillong, Niketu Iralu became a respected and trusted presence in the city. His influence extended beyond peace building and public affairs. People from different walks of life sought his counsel on personal, social, community, and public matters. He was known for listening carefully, reflecting deeply, and offering thoughtful and balanced counsel. For many, he became a trusted elder whose wisdom and friendship were valued across different sections of society.
Niketu Iralu was deeply ecumenical and inclusive in his outlook and relationships. He related warmly to people across denominational, tribal, social, cultural, and political lines. While remaining grounded in his own convictions, he was able to engage people of different perspectives with respect and openness. He sought common ground without disregarding genuine differences, and his manner of engagement often created space for dialogue and mutual understanding.
He possessed considerable intellectual depth and was exceptionally well informed about the Naga struggle, the political and historical realities of the region, the concerns and aspirations of Indigenous peoples, and developments in national and international affairs. His ability to place regional questions within wider national and global contexts enabled him to engage complex issues with perspective and seriousness. His contribution was therefore not limited to one field or one community.
His contribution to the cause of peace and reconciliation, particularly through the Forum for Naga Reconciliation, will be remembered with gratitude. He understood that sustainable peace requires more than the resolution of political differences; it also requires the rebuilding of relationships and trust among people. Through dialogue, personal engagement, writing, and quiet persuasion, he consistently encouraged listening and reconciliation, particularly at times when divisions were deep and the path forward was uncertain.
His passing will be deeply felt in Nagaland, Shillong, and across North East India. At the same time, the significance of his life extends beyond any particular community or region. His engagement with peace, reconciliation, human dignity, Indigenous concerns, social change, and public affairs gave his work a wider relevance and brought him into conversation with people and institutions beyond the region and the country.
The NEICC identifies with the values of peace, reconciliation, dialogue, and inclusion to which Niketu Iralu gave much of his life. As a Christian ecumenical body serving the churches and peoples of North East India, the Council remains committed to contributing to peace in our country, with particular concern for the North Eastern region. The establishment of the NEICC Peace Centre in Shillong is one expression of this continuing commitment to dialogue, reconciliation, healing, and peaceful coexistence.
The NEICC gives thanks to God for the gift of Niketu Iralu’s life and for the contribution he made to Nagaland, North East India, India, and beyond. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife, Mrs. Christine Iralu, his family, friends, colleagues, and all who mourn his passing.
At this time of sorrow, we pray that God, the source of all comfort and peace, will strengthen the bereaved family and grant them grace and consolation. We also pray that his life and legacy will encourage a new generation to continue the work of dialogue, reconciliation, justice, and peace.
May the life and witness of Niketu Iralu continue to encourage the churches, communities, and people of North East India, and all people of goodwill, to pursue understanding over division, reconciliation over resentment, and peace with justice.
May he rest in the eternal peace of Christ.
- by Rev. Dr. Meyu Changkiri, General Secretary, North East India Christian Council (NEICC), Shillong
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