The Naga Woman Who Gave Lumding Its First Assamese School—Finally Honoured

In the midst of Assam, within the railway town of Lumding, a long-overdue tribute was at last bestowed on T. Masapakla Ao, a Naga lady whose unobtrusive courage and munificence made the first Assamese-medium school in the town possible in 1956.

The felicitation function by the socio-cultural body Matir Manuh was more than a ceremonial gesture—it was a reminder of how single-handed vision can triumph over institutional neglect.

The function was attended by an array of dignitaries from different walks of life, such as Matir Manuh's chief secretary Rajkumar Baishya, working president Deepak Meena, director member Minati Sarma, social media secretary Sujata Sarma, and other prominent luminaries like Anup Arandhara, Secretary of Mung-Dun-Chun-Kham from Assam, Dr. T. Lima Jamir of Nagaland Indigenous Peoples' Forum, social activist Bharat Tamuli Phukan, and nationalist leader Hashibur Rahman. Smt. Ao was also accorded the traditional symbols of respect—a japi, gamosa, cheleng, and manpatra—and the declaration of a statue to be erected in front of the school is a concrete measure towards honouring her contribution.

To understand her importance fully, it is necessary to reflect on the conditions in Lumding in the 1950s. Even though the town was situated in the middle of Assam, it lacked an Assamese-medium school. Kids from groups such as the Naga, Kachari, and Karbi were pushed into Bengali-medium schools, and they were most often cut off from both their own language and culture. There was a community of spirited young men—Haidar Rahman, Raunak Ali, Nandeshwar Sarma, Kamaleswar Bora, Bhadrakanta Das, Bhaben Khound, Raheshwar Hira, and Prahlad Das—who dreamed first of an Assamese-medium school. But lacking land, their dream remained anchored.

In steps T. Masapakla Ao, a resident landowner of Lumding Mouza, she contributed two katha of her own property, and the Assamese school dream became a reality. By 1956, the school was functioning, and it gained government recognition in 1959. The founders and Smt. Ao herself ran the school for a few years without the support of the state, even contributing directly towards teaching the students. By 1960, the school was officially called Lumding Assamese High School and later became a renowned government school with an examination center set up in 1968.

It is worth stopping to consider: without Smt. Ao's act of selflessness, Assamese education in Lumding could still be labouring under the shadow of Bengali-medium education. Even activists of today, renowned for their unyielding principles, could have been brought up deprived of teaching in their native tongue. Her gift was not land—it was the very keystone of cultural continuity, of identity, and for future generations of learners.

Yet, while Matir Manuh took the step of recognizing her, Assam’s literary establishment, particularly the Asom Sahitya Sabha, remains conspicuously absent in giving her due credit. This neglect is more than a minor oversight; it reflects a systemic failure to honour those who have shaped Assamese language and education at the grassroots. Recognition, after all, is not merely symbolic—it is a moral obligation.

Felicitation of T. Masapakla Ao is a lesson: history is not written by the occupants of seats of power, but by those who, frequently without fanfare, move with vision and courage. The tale of Lumding's Assamese school reminds us that cultural heritage requires action and recognition. Commemorating these pioneers is not charity; it is justice. And it is a call to institutions to move beyond complacency and fully acknowledge the contributions of those who brought Assam the gift of its own language in education.

Smt. Ao's statue will shortly be erected outside Lumding Assamese High School—a lasting reminder that vision, generosity, and courage can alter the destiny of a community. May it also serve as a challenge to all of us: to recognize, respect, and safeguard the oft-forgotten creators of our cultural legacy.

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