Talk Show by Monica Ingudam (2012- till now)

A Talk show by Monica Ingudam presenting voices from different parts of the globe with the vision to promote and spread Inspiring, Educative, Empowering and Entertaining stories in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur.

Episode 011 FindingTheVoices: Part 2 Armstrong Pame IAS officer from Tamenglong sharing the journey in making the 100 KM Road in Manipur without any help or funding from the Government

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011 FindingTheVoices Part 2 Armstrong Pame IAS officer from Tamenglong sharing the journey in making the 100 KM Road in Manipur without any help or funding from the Government

Today I am with Armstrong Pame from Tousem sub-division, tamenglong district in Manipur, India. He is an IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer serving as Sub-divisional Officer. He also was an assistant commissioner In the Indian Revenue Service.

And most recently he has initiated a very inspiring initiative of making a 100 km road in Manipur with no funding or help coming from the government, a story which have touched people’s heart all over the world …

This year, with the outbreak of diseases like typhoid and malaria, It took two days for anyone in the village to make it to the nearest hospital on foot in the absence of a motorable road. Hundreds of patients were carried on bamboo stretchers, and very few made it to the town alive.  And town doctors were unwilling to come to the village because of its inaccessible terrain. Frustrated with the situation with no response from the government, Armstrong Pame turned to his family and well wishers and initiated the project of making the 100 km Tamenglong – Haflong Road Construction in August this year and targeted to be completed by Christmas this year.

I am proud to present the voice of Armstrong Pame, the voice requested by many listeners of FindingTheVoices, the VOICE we want to hear and should be heard. The podcast is devided into 2 parts. Please listen to Part 1  which focuses on his introduction and journey from Tamenlong to becoming an IAS officer, an episode is dedicated to all the student listeners of FindingTheVoices particularly students from North East India where the parents work very hard, sacrificing and struggling to send money to get their children educated in other parts of India.

This is Part 2 which focuses on details about the making a 100 km road in Manipur with no funding or help coming from the government, a story which have touched people’s heart all over the world. It is touching to hear how he started the project and how people all over the world responded, a story which makes us believe that there are still good people in this world and we still have hope. He is so humble and gives all the credit of this project to his Villagers and thanks to everyone for the support received.

Please contribute and help in making the wish of Armstrong Pame in giving the gift of the Road this christmas for all the villagers and children. Please refer to the facebook group  Tamenglong – Haflong Road Construction for more details or contact 91 9953029135.

Episode 010 FindingTheVoices : Part 1 Armstrong Pame, IAS officer from Tamenglong sharing the journey in making the 100 KM Road in Manipur without any help or funding from the Government

/ Monica Ingudam / 14 Comments

010 FindingTheVoices Part 1 Armstrong Pame IAS officer from Tamenglong sharing the journey in making the 100 KM Road in Manipur without any help or funding from the Government

Today I am with Armstrong Pame from Tousem sub-division, tamenglong district in Manipur, India. He is an IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer serving as Sub-divisional Officer. He also was an assistant commissioner In the Indian Revenue Service. And most recently he has initiated a very inspiring initiative of making a 100 km road in Manipur with no funding or help coming from the government, a story which have touched people’s heart all over the world …

This year, with the outbreak of diseases like typhoid and malaria, It took two days for anyone in the village to make it to the nearest hospital on foot in the absence of a motorable road. Hundreds of patients were carried on bamboo stretchers, and very few made it to the town alive.  And town doctors were unwilling to come to the village because of its inaccessible terrain. Frustrated with the situation with no response from the government, Armstrong Pame turned to his family and well wishers and initiated the project of making the 100 km Tamenglong – Haflong Road Construction in August this year and targeted to be completed by Christmas this year.

Please contribute and help in making the wish of Armstrong Pame in giving the gift of the Road this christmas for all the villagers and childrens. Please refer to the facebook group for more details or contact 91 9953029135. 

I am proud to present the voice of Armstrong Pame, the voice requested by many listeners of FindingTheVoices, the VOICE we want to hear and should be heard. The podcast is divided into 2 parts. This episode, Part 1 focuses on his introduction and journey from Tamenlong to becoming an IAS officer.

This episode is dedicated to all the student listeners of FindingTheVoices. Read at this article Armstrong had written at http://www.northeasterner.in/ sharing his journey becoming an IAS Officer from Tamenglong.

Please watch out for upcoming Part 2 where he talks in details about the  making of the 100 km Tamenglong – Haflong Road Construction

Thanks to Manas Maisnam, famous modern cartoonist from Manipur who have contributed Armstrong Pame’s cartoon in support and appreciation for his work. It is an honour that Tamo Manas Maisnam have drawn this cartoon for FindingTheVoices for the release of this episode of Armstrong Pame’s podcast.

Thanks to Hanubi Hanuba for the music (Lai Haraoba with Dotara) used in this podcast.

Episode 009 FindingTheVoices : Madam Saroj Nalini Ingudam talks about her teaching experience in Manipur and about “Ningol Chakouba”

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009 FindingTheVoices Madam Saroj Nalini Ingudam talks about her teaching experience in Manipur and about Ningol Chakouba

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Wishing all the Ningols all over the world a very Happy Ningol Chakouba. ‘Ningol Chakouba‘ is one of the popular festival, where married sisters and daughters are invited for lunch to the parental house. It is a very special day where the family gets to spent the day and have the meal together just like it was before the sisters/daughters got married …

This is my very 1st podcast in Meitei-lon. Please enjoy the interview with Madam Saroj Nalini Ingudam, Retired Senior Grade Lecturer in Manipuri language and Literature from Thambal Marik College, Oinam, popularly known by Students of St. Joseph School and HRD Academy. She shares a very interesting journey of her experience being a teacher in Manipur comparing education system between Govt. School and private/mission School in Manipur. She shares little bit about the history of Ningol Chakouba and the changing trend with modern time. Did you know that initially Ningol Chakouba was Ningol na Chakouba (Invitation was from Sister to Brother) ?

Thanks to Hanubi Hanuba for the music (Lai Haraoba with Dotara) used in this podcast.

Episode 008 Manipuri Food: Bobby Soram sharing recipe of Nganum (steamed/baked fish) with herbs

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Episode 008 FindingTheVoices Bobby Soram sharing recipe of Manipuri Food Nganum 

Today we are going to talk about Food & cooking with Bobby Soram originally from Manipur and now based in Delhi. Bobby is sharing a recipe for making one of the authentic Manipuri food “Nganum” which is baked fish with herbs. Bobby is mother of 2 wonderful kids. Thanks to Bobby for sharing the recipe, pictures and content of this post. If you try this recipe, please let us know how it came out for you.

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Nganum recipe:

Preparation and cooking time – 40-45 minutes

Ingredients-:

1. Small fish- mukkak nga or nga- sang or any small fish- 250 gms

2. Turmeric leaves, 4-5

3. Banana leaves, half the leaf

4. Maroi napaakpi ( a small bunch say 10-15 of them) or onion/spring onion- cut into small pieces. One small onion or two small spring onions.

4. 4-5 Green chillies sliced into halves

5. Turmeric powder- one teaspoon

6. Mustard oil ( optional)

7. Salt to taste one  teaspoon.

wash the fish gently and drain the excess water

Clean the banana and turmeric leaves with a wet cloth and spread it on a plate, Banana leaves layered with turmeric leaves on top.

In the meantime, boil  some water in a rice cooker putting  the steamer on top. You can do this while cooking rice too.  when the water while cooking rice starts boiling

Gently Mix the fish, cut chillies maroi napakpi or onions, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Some people pour a teaspoon of mustard oil so that the fishes does not stick. But that is optional.

After mixing it, spread the mixture on the leaves. Wrap it up properly and put it on a steel or aluminum  quarter plate. Place the plate with the wrapped fishes on the steamer and close the lid.Steam it for about 15 minutes.

Remove the wrapped fish with a big spatula from the steamer and place it on a tawa on the gas stove. Place a heavy utensil, a heavy plate or toksu on top of it. Heat it on low flame for about 15 minutes turning sides carefully. This is to remove excess water from the leaves.

Now open the  wrapped fish and check. Your aromatic Nganum is ready.

* traditional method in Manipur is to bake it on low flame  without steaming.I prefer steaming it first.

* you can try this recipe with fresh mackerel, tuna, Elish fish or pomphret too.

Customization of Nganum’s recipe using Hilsa fish and spring onions instead of maroi Napakpi shared by our listener Sairem Surjarani from Montreal. Also turmeric leaf used was from dried one. Thanks to Surjarani for sharing the picture.

Episode 007 FindingTheVoices : Maisnam Dhaneswari, Cabin Services Director at Qatar Airways sharing details of choice of career as a Cabin Crew.

/ Monica Ingudam / 6 Comments

007 FindingTheVoices Interview with Maisnam Dhaneswari, Cabin Services Director at Qatar Airways sharing details of her choice of career as a Cabin Crew 

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Enjoy the interview with Maisnam Dhaneswari from Manipur who is working as Cabin Services Director at Qatar Airways, the voted Airline of the Year 2011 connecting to more than 100 plus destinations worldwide. Dhaneswari shares  very interesting details of her choice of career as a Cabin Crew. Thanks you for sharing such details !!

One of the goal for FindingTheVoices is to increase the exposure of different career and job options for young students particularly students in Manipur. I have spoken to many students and the popular career options are to become a Doctor, Engineer or IAS officer. These are great career options, I myself am a Computer Science Engineer, but there are lot of other options.

Out of which Doctor is the most popular amongst the students (and also the parents !!). Students go for extensive tutions and even wait for 2 to 3 years to get into the entrance exam. There are cases where the students become depressed, loose self esteem and stray away on the event of failures on multiple attempts.

Trailer Episode 007 FindingTheVoices : Maisnam Dhaneswari, Director of Cabin Services Director at Qatar Airways sharing details of choice of career as a Cabin Crew.

/ Monica Ingudam / 1 Comment

Trailer 007 FindingTheVoices Interview with Maisnam Dhaneswari, Cabin Services Director at Qatar Airways sharing details of her choice of career as a Cabin Crew

Preview of the interview with Maisnam Dhaneswari from Manipur who is working as Cabin Services Director at Qatar Airways, the voted Airline of the Year 2011 connecting to more than 100 plus destinations worldwide. And Dhaneswari will be sharing the details of choice of career as a Cabin Crew.

One of the goal for FindingTheVoices is to increase the exposure of different career and job options for young students particularly students in Manipur. I have spoken to many students and the popular career options are to become a Doctor, Engineer or IAS officer. Out of which Doctor is the most popular amongst the students (and also the parents !!). Students go for extensive tutions and even wait for 2 to 3 years to get into the entrance exam. There are cases where the students become depressed, loose self esteem and stray away on the event of failures on multiple attempts.

These are great career options, I myself am a Computer Science Engineer, but there are lot of other options.

Please come back for the full interview releasing on saturday  10th November 2012.

Episode 006 FindingTheVoices Interview with Junichi Kajioka, Leading actor of Manipuri movie My Japanese Niece

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006 FindingTheVoices Interview with Junichi Kajioka, Leading actor of Manipuri movie My Japanese Niece

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Enjoy the interview with Junichi Kajioka, japanese Actor based in London. He has acted in many films, television, commercials, Voice over and even in video games, playing very interesting roles of Japanese Sergeant, Japanese Sniper, newspaper reporter etc. Most recently he acted in the movie 47 Ronin with hollywood movie star Keanu Reeves. And He is going to be the lead actor for the upcoming movie “My Japanese Niece” which is planned to be released in English, Japanese and Manipuri.

Junichi Kajioka shares very interesting work experience and the difference of work culture having worked internationally in Japan, China, London and also for a Hollywood movie. He also shares his aspirations to be a part of Bollywood movies with song and dance sequence. He is preparing and doing a lot of research to play the lead role for “My Japanese Niece” and is looking forward to go to Manipur for the shooting of the movie and plan to see the beautiful place and people of Manipur and try Manipuri food.

We welcome Junichi Kajioka to Manipur and wish him a very happy stay at Manipur and success for his role in “My Japanese Niece”.

Trailer 006 FindingTheVoices : Interview with Junichi Kajioka, Leading actor of Manipuri movie “My Japanese Niece”

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Trailer 006 FindingTheVoices Interview with Junichi Kajioka, Leading actor of Manipuri movie My Japanese Niece

Preview of the interview with Junichi Kajioka, japanese Actor based in London. He has acted in many films, television, commercials, Voice over and even in video games, playing very interesting roles of Japanese Sergeant, Japanese Sniper, newspaper reporter etc. Most recently he acted in the movie 47 Ronin with hollywood movie star Keanu Reeves. And He is going to be the lead actor for the upcoming movie “My Japanese Niece” which is planned to be released in English, Japanese and Manipuri.

Please come back for the full interview releasing on saturday  3rd November 2012.

Episode 005 FindingTheVoices Bijou Thaangjam introducing and promoting Manipuri Food at Master Chef India

/ Monica Ingudam / 3 Comments

005 FindingTheVoices Bijou Thaangjam introducing and promoting Manipuri Food at Master Chef India

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I am proud to present you the interview with Bijou Thaangjam,sharing his experience participating in Master Chef India and reality TV show Super Santa with bollywood movie star Asin.

He shares amazing details of the grooming phase and trainings he received as part of the show. Being a Foodie myself, It was very interesting to know all the details behind the show. I am very impressed and proud that he used many recipes inspired/customized from traditional Manipuri recipe (Chagempomba, tharoi thongba, Nganum etc.) which took him to top 50. Also he shared many other interesting projects he is working on (T-shirt branding to promote Manipur, Cooking show and food festivals all over India, Pressure-point therapist, Acting/Modelling projects).

I am so touched to hear his journey, such a strong young man coming up all the way from being a victim of bullying, going through doing all possible odd jobs with strong aspirations to finally become a public figure/Celebrity and motivate young people and guide them. Such a admirable thought and aim. Wishing Bijou Good Luck and success in his career.