Laibu Etkikna: "Against All Odds" by H. Chin Khenthang, IAS:

Hih laibu ("Against All Odds", an Autobiography) laimai 150 pha pen phungpi 10 ah kikhen a, photo 38 tuang hi. A kawm bi-color hi a, Preface laimai 6 pha in, a back cover ah:

"An autobiography of a man
Who never say 'die'
In the face of enormous obstacles
But had the courage to pursue his
Dreams, and go on, against all odds,
Until he succeeded:
Written not for the great
But for the small people,
Not for the afluent
But for the poor and the struggling;
Not to invite tears of sympathy
Nor ridicules, or contempt or derision,
But to encourage those who struggle
Against disadvantages:
The disadvantage of poverty,
Of Lack of means,
Of geographical isolation
And the opportunity to make
A better life."

ciin kigelh hi.

Page 91 ah ".....the misfortunes, sorrows and hardship i went through have made me hard as well as soft inside...." a cih mah bangin thumasa a gelhma in hih laibu ah a Ni Damkhodon phawkna mualsuang phut phot a, tua ciangin laibu sung thu kipan pan hi.

Preface ah 'Why an Autobiography? ' ciin, 'kei milian ka hi kei a, ka tangthu mi simtak ding ka at ding ka theikei' ciin kiniam khiat takin pan a, 'ka tuahsiat, ka zawnna, ka haksat tuakte mi lak ah pholak dingin kua in simnuam ding ahi hiam' ci hi. Ahi zongin ka hihna selcip in milian innsung pan piang bangin om mawk leng kei leh kei a kikheem hi ding ka hih manin banghangin ka hihna zumpih ding ka hiam, ka nu leh pa in a theihtawp vua hong pattah zawh uh ciang ka gentheih ka haksat pen amau mawh hi lo a, kei mawhna zong hilo hi ci hi. Topa in hici dinga hong piansak hizaw hi, a ci, hi gige hi. Haksatna pan khuasuahna pen Guite Kual bek hilo in USA ah Lincoln te pawl in zong ana tuak thu hi ci hi. Tua banga hanciamna pan khangkhia a milian milal a suak tampi om a, amah a masa pen hilo hi.. cih zong a genpah hi.

India gama officer lian penpente a suak theihna pen ama hanciamna ahih man bek hilo in Pasian in a piak hi ci hi (..friends called me a "Self-made man," but i call myself a "God-made man"). Tua ahih manin bang hanga Topa hong lapsangna zumpih ding ka hiam ci kawm in, "thu dangah etteh tak ka hih loh hang, ka hanciam leh ka kuhkalna kei banga haksatna tuakte adingin etteh theih ding hi" ci hi (I may not be an example in other thing, i can be an example as a man of determination and hard work, and be an encouragement to the disadvantage because of geographical isolation, poverty, lack of facilities, etc..").

A thumasa a khupna lam ah "Tu lai khangthak te in a kipatna uh leh a ngeina uh theilo in, a nu leh pa haksat dan, a nuntakzia uh suutpih kha loin tulai khantohna leh nopsakna te tawh kidiah zaw in om thei uh ahih manin tuma hun leh tuhun kikhiat dante zong limtak in hilh ding kisam hi. Tua ahih kei leh a nu leh pa leh amau lawhcinna themno te tawh milian kisa kha, thupi kisa kha ding uh a, a kilawmlo in ngawng gamtat kha ding uh hi. Tua ahih manin khangthakte in thupiang a theih uh zong kisam hi, ci kawm hi.

Hih a tunga thu khempeuh ka ngaihsut ciang mite pahtawi ngahna ding, hehpih ngahna ding, etc. cih bang hi loin kei mah banga hamsatna a thuakte in lungkia lo a hanciam ding ka deihsakna leh hun paisa themkhat etkikna, ko mau hun cih theihna ding leh ka tate mahmah in zong a ciamteh ding uh ka deihna tawh hih thute ka at hi, ci hi.

Phung 1 pan phung 10 tan ka muh pakna dan:

Phung 1 na ah 'My land and my people' ci a, Khajang khua, Lamka pan 60 Km a gamla ah a ten thu leh lamlian a om loh dante gen a, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) ah a lut ciangin Mathai 2:6 ah Bethlehem a kigen bang deuh in, "Aw! nang Khajang khua aw, Guite Kual ah na neupen hetkei hi, na sung pan in ukpi khat hong piang zo hi" ci in kigen hi ci hi. Guahtui in a hun hun in buak in, pak nam tuamtuam - ngeisok pak, vau pak, etc te kilawm takin paka, lengthe te kilawm takin khuang dialdial in, vasa tuamtuam leh gamsa te tenna kuam pan India gama kumpi nasem lak ah vaihawmna za (administration) sem dingin a kuan khia ahihna kigelh hi.

Phung 2 na sungah nidang lai Lo khawh dan, meh ciin dan te gen a, Mautam in haksatna tampi a piansak dan leh ama mit mahmah tawh mautaam a muh dan te gelh hi. Tua bek hilo in Ci-al (salt) pen nitumna lam pan a kipuak dan leh ci-al neih ding a hamsat dan, a gimhuai dan, a metloh dan te gen kik a, khemna nakpi singtang mimawlte in a tuakte zong gen hi. A tangpi in mikhempeuh haulo ahih dan gen a. Innsa khat om leh a kihuh liailiai dan te, nopsak hun Pawi tuamtuam aneih lak vuah anlak pawi Khuado Pawi hun ah galhang, mihang te a kipahtawi dan kician takin gen hi. Nungak leh tangval nasep kilawm (kihuh tuah) in lawm kingaite diakdiak in nasep khawm nuam asak dante khawng uh zong gen hi. Za zial tawh Lia leh Taang kiho dan te leh tangval in nungak a hel dan te kicing takin gen a, lengla dona in Tuibuuk a kizatdan te zong gen hi.

Naungek a pian ciang a invengnu in nau va dom mai a, cidamna lam kikepna a hoih loh dan te a gen zawh in, khangno khempeuh in thanuam takin nasem ahih manin (tulai bang loin) khangno sungah nawngkaina a omloh dan gen hi [thupi sa mahmah ing hih pen]. Tulai bang hilo kimawlna tuamtuamte tawh nungak tangval a kitaiteh, a kidem dan uh zong gen hi. [Zomi culture tampi a lai gelh ah kimu thei hi].

Phung 3 na sungah ama pianna thu leh Japan gal sunga piang ahih manin a min hibang a ngah dan gen a, min phuahdan tuamtuam kizuite zong gen hi [min phuah dan a theilo te sim dingin hoih mahmah hi], Japan gal ci a i theih Galpi -2na pen North-East India ah zong a thuak khak dan pawlkhat gen hi. Zomi te vanzat masa pawlkhat Meisah, Tem, Khuam cihte zong gen hi.

Phung 4 na ah a khasiat huai mahmah innsung a tuahsiatna tuamtuamte gen a, tua bang haksatna a tuak laitakin zong amau a it mahmah a Ni in a khoi dan leh akep dante tuang hi. Haksatna a tuakte hangin kithanemsak loin kithakhauh zaw a, nakpi taka a hanciam thu leh sihna ding tamveipi a kipelhna te a gen hi. A ma life struggle taktak ah a lut to panpan ta hi.

Phung 5 na sungah a thupi penpen leh a khuasuahna dinga a hanciamna taktak - a lai deih dan leh laisim a ut dan, a hanciam dan limtak in gen a, pilna ding ahih nak leh mi innteeng a om zong phamawh salo ahih dan gen hi [a bu sim leeng bek kitel ahih manin bangteng gen hiam cih ka gen kei ding hi. Khasiat huaina tampi om a, lungdamna khutbetna ding tampi om; 'pang teitei in aw' cihna ding tampi om a, hi zo takpi ding hiam cih hun zong i sim kawmkawm in kimu hi, a bu ah na sim zaw in, hih lai ah gen zawh theih pak ding hi kei]. Hih pen a main chapter hi leh kilawm.

Phung 6 na ah A.S.I to I.A.S. a hong pian dan at a, 'hih laimal thum te a kigualh dan diklo hi veh aw, ka khek ngai' cih lungsim pua in hanciam hi. A zi neih zawh hi a, a thu a kicingin a vekpiin atkhin dingin ka um kei hi. Atunga Phung 5 na ah zong a vekpiin at khin dingin ka um kei.

[Hih laibu simte bek in Pu Chin Khenthang zahtakhuai dan a thei pan ding cih ka um hi].

'The rot in private educational institutions' cih tomcik a atna sungah mihing lungsim tuamtuam - duhamna, angsung theihna, mi khentuam neih utna, mi hazatna, etc. etc. kilang hi.

Phung 7 na ah Topa in leivui panin a lap toh dan leh amah hanciam man bek hilo, Pasian vangliatna hang ahih dan tomkim, kilawmtak, kicing takin at a, hih chapter ah a 'soft corner' pawlkhat, a lunglenna, a it leh a phawkte pawlkhat thu hong tuang hi. [Lai at lunglutte in ama at dan pan sin ding tampi om hi cih hong musak a, sim teitei dingin ahoih chapter hi]. "I am God-made man, i played my part and God played His part...." ci hi.

[Paunak khat ah "God helps those who help themselves" kici hi. Ama'n ama tavuan zo ahih manin Pasian in zong Ama tavuan zo a, mithupi suah in India gama state khat Meghalaya, a khuapi Shillong ah kumpi lian khat in domsang hi].

Phung 8 na sungah a mangngilh theihloh mi pawlkhat, ama nuntakna ah a kilang diak mite tangthu gen a, milian mithupi leh mi nuamsate thu khat zong omlo hi. Itna thu leh deihsakna thu vive kigelh a, pilna leh siamna tawh hilo in cihtakna leh hanciamna takpi tawh a sepna uh a lungdamna siamtak in gen hi. [Mi khempeuh in hi dan i siam ding thupi sa mahmah ing - a thankful heart].

Phung 9 na ah ama ngaihsut dan leh thubulphuh te (thoughts and philosophies) gen hi. Nasep a zumpih loh dan, bang hanga ak khawi, bang hanga huan bawl cih te gen a, dignity of labor aneih dan ki thei hi. [A thugelh hoih pipi pawlkhatte a them tuangsak zauhzauh a, laisim nuamsak mahmah hi. Hih thu zong a kicing in gelh lo ahi tam cih huai hi. Abu sim lo in gen siam ding hi kei].

Nekguk taakguk (corruption) a huat dan leh hoih a sak lohna gen kik a, a hoih loh man bek hilo in a hi ding ahih loh man-a 'hih loh ding' ahi ci hi.[Sangnaupang hi laite leh officer hito dingte sim ngeingei ding, leh 'kei ka hi' a kici ngam mite adingin sim ngeingei ding hi].

"Experimenting with Honesty" cih sungah thutuun pawimawh a kituun lianpipi om a, sim ngeingei ding hi. Socio-religious reflections a neihte, tulai khangthak, a diak in Zomi te in khanglui hun leh khangthak hun i peh (bridge) toh laitak in i kidop mahmahna ding thu tampi 'neek cing' hong luikhia hi. [Khangno laisim, laisiam khat na hih leh digest tak a na sim, na theih, na analyse ding thupi inteh hih chapter pen].

Liberalism vs Fundalmentalism, Zi leh Pasal neih ding dan, Biakna tuamtuam bangci et ding cihte ama ngaihsutna leh paipih dan kicing takin gelh a, khangno khat adingin guide hoih tak suak hi. Ama paunak kammal (wise sayings) 26 hong luikhia a, a vekpi in hong luikhia nailo hi in ka um hi.

[Pilna a deihte in limtak in hih laibu sim taak hi, a diak in a ngaihsutdan leh a thu paipih (philosophy) te gil mahmah hi].

Phung 10 na ah kum 1975 January 11 ni a zi Nu Ginzaniang tawh a kiten thu leh tuni hun a ama inkuan sung thu tuamtuam a tom in pulak hi. A laigelh khempeuh ah kiphatsakna kammal kimu lo a, kiniamkhiat tak leh zahtak huai tak vive in kammal zangsiam ahih manin mipil ahihna a laibu i simna pan zong kitel semsem hi.

A thukhupna lam ah a zi leh tate in a kilawmlo van leh kizepnate a demand loh uh ama adingin 'manpha' a hih dan gen a, a zi in innsung zo takin kem in innsung oplum a (keeps the house warm), a tate in amau maban ciat hanciam uh ahih dan leh khut nasep a zumpih loh thu, nu leh pa ading a maizum huai in a gamtat ngeiloh thu gen a, tuate khempeuh hanga a lungdamna tomcik in gen hi.

'Personally speaking' ciin biakna a thupi sim thu leh kikhop a pelh ngeiloh thu, nopsakna bawmguak - party leh lamna munte a thupisim loh dan leh a hawh ngeiloh dan gen a, ama tunga na hoih piang khempeuh Topa thupha hi a cihnopna in, Rom 8:28 "we know that all things work together for good to those who love God" cih tawh a laigelh khawl hi. [A mah a itte tungah Pasian hoihna a kilang hi, ciin teci a pang hi].

A khupna kammal, 'Epilogue' ah a gen mah bangin a tangthu khempeuh gelh kim ding hi leh volume tampi pha dingin ka um hi. A ciil teng hong suuk khiat pak zong ahih ding ka um naikei a, laibu dangah hong gelh toto lai dingin ka lamen hi.


Kei kupbehna:

(i). English sim thei khempeuh in sim ngeingei ding laibu hi. Ngeina, biakna, nuntakna, gamtat dan, tu hun leh hun paisa a kilamdanna kimu thei hi.

(ii). Phung 5, 6, 7 sung pen kidaam hetlo in hong gelh lai leh cih deih huai mahmah hi. Mipi ading ahi kei zongin Private Circulation cih bang beek in - i ngeina, i history leh culture tampi kepbitna ahih ding ka up manin.

(iii). Zomi ngeina leh nu leh pa, pi leh pu hun lai tangthu a thei kha mello te adingin sim teitei ding hoih a, khanglui hun nuntakzia pawlkhat kimu thei ahih manin manpha diak hi.

(iv). Research scholars, writers, educationist, journalist, student, etc. te adingin materials manpha pawlkhat hih laibu sungah kimu thei hi.

(v). A maante (photos) i et bek lezong, Khajang village pan Rastrapati Bhavan (Indian President Residence) ah kizomto a, mi khempeuh in a lunggulh gam Hawaii, USA ah tawp pan hi. A kikal ah greenery (tuiluang kianga kiak hing dipdep a pona mun bang) vive kimu ahih manin mi hampha hi cih kimu thei hi.

Aman a biak Pasian it a, a Pasian in zong nusia ngeilo hiven.

Pu H. Chin Khenthang, IAS itna leh zahtakna tawh,

Hau Za Cin
Phuitong Liim

PS: Tutung a laibu ama khut pan leiin ka omna ka tun kik ciang ka sim leh hoih salua ka hih manin ka phawkkhak vat teng kong atsuk samsam hi. Gen khialh a om leh hong maisak un.