podcast talk show

S03E05 FindingTheVoices with Mr. RK Budhimanta: About RKCS Art Gallery, Manipur (Part 1)

/ Monica Ingudam / 2 Comments
FindingTheVoices with Mr. RK Budhimanta, learning about RKCS Art Gallery, Manipur. (Part 1)
Guest Speaker : Mr. RK Budhimanta
Language: Interview in English

Location: RKCS Art Gallery, Imphal, Manipur, India

Established in 1947, the RKCS Art Gallery showcases the beautiful, captivating
and imaginative artworks done by the legendary artist of Manipur, Rajkumar Chandrajitsana Singh. The chain of paintings inside the art studio captures the remarkable genius of the artist himself and each one of his paintings instill
curiosity in our minds and make us wonder what could be the story behind
the portrait. Today, the legacy of the artist is proudly and proficiently carried on by his son, Mr. RK Budhimanta, who is one of the most eminent artists of Manipur.
Mr. RK Budhimanta, the 4th generation artist of the RKCS family, shares stories about the magnificent artist that his father was. From theatre backdrops to movie posters, mythological illustrations to historical accounts, we get to know a lot more in details about the early days of the legendary artist. Mr. RK Budhimanta also shares with us the incident that inspired RKCS to take up the project of depicting the history of Manipur in paintings–the same project that took 10 years of hard work and dedication including vast and in-depth research with the scholars of Manipur.
Apart from these skills, RKCS was also an acrobat and a good wrestler and has even acted in one of the dramas during his early days.

About FindingTheVoices:

Born and raised in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur, I have a vision to promote and spread inspiring, empowering, educative & entertaining stories. I believe that we can create contents bringing the positive side of Manipur. I believe we can do this together by finding the voices, voices which needs to be heard and shared, voices of our own people, people of Manipur and well-wishers of Manipur. I believe that these voices will bring a change and connect all of us.

I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/

S03E04 FindingTheVoices with Irene Salam: Women of Manipur – An Alternative Perspective.

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S03E04 FindingTheVoices with Irene Salam, Women of Manipur – An Alternative Perspective.
Guest Speaker : Irene Salam
Language: Interview in English

Location: Imphal, Manipur, India

We get to hear more from Madam Irene Salam, Retd. Professor from Manipur University, as she shares a brief account of the books she has published so far and the projects she has taken part in. She talks about the surprising results of one of her international projects which was to measure the resilience of Manipuris between the age group of 16 to 19.

A known perception in Manipur is that the status of women of Manipur is much higher than that of the rest of India. Her book titled “Women of Manipur – An Alternative Perspective” shows that although the statement is true to a certain extent, it contains a lot of contradictions. Madam Irene shares her findings about her research on the status of women of Manipur. She talks about the spirited nature of the women which gives them the courage to stand at the fore front of any protest and to take action whenever they feel some injustice has been done in the society.

Madam Irene also brings to light the hardships many women of Manipur face in spite of the known perceptions. As an example, she shares about the life of women vendors of Ima Market who have to leave their homes early in the morning without having meals, carrying hefty perishable goods to earn their livelihood. And when they get home, the household responsibilities are again not shared by anyone.

Tune in to listen more to what Madam Irene Salam found on her research on women of Manipur and about the challenges she faced when she came to Manipur for the first time.

Catch up her first part of the interview at  S03E03 FindingTheVoices with Irene Salam, Retired Professor from Manipur University

About FindingTheVoices:

Born and raised in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur, I have a vision to promote and spread inspiring, empowering, educative & entertaining stories. I believe that we can create contents bringing the positive side of Manipur. I believe we can do this together by finding the voices, voices which needs to be heard and shared, voices of our own people, people of Manipur and well-wishers of Manipur. I believe that these voices will bring a change and connect all of us.

I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/

S03E03 FindingTheVoices with Irene Salam, Retired Professor from Manipur University

/ Monica Ingudam / 1 Comment
S03E03 FindingTheVoices with Irene Salam, Retired Professor from Manipur University
Guest Speaker : Irene Salam
Language: Interview in English

Location: Imphal, Manipur, India

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. Born and brought up in Uttar Pradesh and of Goan ethnicity, Madam Irene Salam, retired Professor from Manipur University, shares her account of coming to Manipur for the very first time in the 70’s and getting adjusted to the conditions in the state. It was a moment of total transformation and rejuvenation as everything was a firsthand experience for her, including the food, culture and society of her newly embraced home. Madam Irene recollects her experience on how she got adjusted and settled to the conditions even though she had never seen or heard about Manipur. She also talks about how she patiently overcame the difficulties she faced in teaching the students at Manipur University in the early days because of the language barrier.

We also got to know her view on the impact of frequent bandhs, blockades and curfews on education and about students of the state getting involved in numerous protests. She also talks about how the teachers in the University manage the schedule and examinations despite the disturbances and unpredictable situations.

Madam Irene also shares about a workshop on Historical Research Methodology and starting a project, which was aimed at collecting various historical essays written by different faculty members including her and a number of research scholars.

About FindingTheVoices:

Born and raised in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur, I have a vision to promote and spread inspiring, empowering, educative & entertaining stories. I believe that we can create contents bringing the positive side of Manipur. I believe we can do this together by finding the voices, voices which needs to be heard and shared, voices of our own people, people of Manipur and well-wishers of Manipur. I believe that these voices will bring a change and connect all of us.

I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/

S03E02 FindingTheVoices with Halley Laithangbam, Mister International India in 2015

/ Monica Ingudam / 5 Comments
S03E02 FindingTheVoices with Halley Laithangbam, Mister International, India in 2015
Guest Speaker : Halley Laithangbam
Language: Interview in Meteilon

Location: Imphal, Manipur, India

We have Halley Laithangbam for the second time here on FindingTheVoices, and this time the handsome model speaks about his models grooming studio and about his trip to Philippines, representing India for the Grand Slam male pageant – Mister International in 2015.

Being a model is simply not just walking on the ramp and standing tall looking pretty or handsome. There’s a lot of preparation and many minute tweaks and techniques used by the models to bring out their best looking personality. Halley’s Models Grooming Studio teaches these techniques to the young emerging models and give them a career in modeling. Halley talks about how his studio operates and how it has given his students valuable opportunities in advertising, modeling and beauty pageantry.

Halley was crowned Mister International, India in 2015 and he went on to represent our country at the biggest stage for male models in Philippines. He says that although it was a great experience, he was really let down by the discrimination and racism he faced during the event. In this interview, he expresses disappointment and tells the story of what made his experience turn sour. Halley also tells us about how the event was organized and how the models were chosen.

Towards the end of this episode, Halley has a few words to say to his loving fans. So if you are a fan or have ever liked or commented on his Facebook page, tune in to find out his message for you!

About FindingTheVoices:

Born and raised in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur, I have a vision to promote and spread inspiring, empowering, educative & entertaining stories. I believe that we can create contents bringing the positive side of Manipur. I believe we can do this together by finding the voices, voices which needs to be heard and shared, voices of our own people, people of Manipur and well-wishers of Manipur. I believe that these voices will bring a change and connect all of us.

I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/

S03E01 FindingTheVoices with Nameirakpam Chingkheinganba, conquering Mount Everest at the age of 16.

/ Monica Ingudam / 3 Comments
S03E01 FindingTheVoices: Conquering Mount Everest at the age of 16, an interview with Nameirakpam Chingkheinganba from Manipur.
Guest Speaker : Nameirakpam Chingkheinganba
Language: Interview in Meteilon
Location: Imphal, Manipur, India
Determined to achieve his father’s long lost dream of conquering Mount Everest in 1983, a young boy from Patsoi, Manipur took charge and scaled the mountain giant to stand high and mighty on top of the highest peak on the planet. At the age of 16, Nameirakpam Chingkheinganba went on the first ever North-East India Mount Everest Expedition in 2013 and took upon the 75 days long expedition risking his life and testing his will power and courage to show that anybody can overcome even the most challenging obstacles in life if they have the right attitude and positive mentality.
Chingkheinganba began training at the age of 9 and started developing his skills by first climbing hills of lesser height and then slowly adding on more in the course. He took on his first Adventure Course at Manipur Mountaineering Institute, Lamdang. After completing the course, Chingkheinganba got fueled with downright motivation upon finding out that his father once had a dream of climbing Mount Everest.
In this interview, Chingkheinganba talks about how a Mount Everest expedition takes place and the numerous challenges and life threatening risks a mountaineer faces during the mission. He tells the story of how he successfully completed the journey carrying limited food and oxygen and how he dealt with the dangerous depths, avalanches, crevasses and unnerving situations in the icy mountains. He also talks about the shocking count of lifeless bodies they came across lying on the frozen grounds in the Dead Zone!
Apart from mountaineering, Chingkheinganba also has other passions and future goals. He’s currently studying in Imphal College and wants to pursue further studies in Geography. And right now, you can imagine him riding his mountain bike day-in, day-out, and training very hard to realize his dream of becoming an Olympian in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

About FindingTheVoices:

Born and raised in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur, I have a vision to promote and spread inspiring, empowering, educative & entertaining stories. I believe that we can create contents bringing the positive side of Manipur. I believe we can do this together by finding the voices, voices which needs to be heard and shared, voices of our own people, people of Manipur and well-wishers of Manipur. I believe that these voices will bring a change and connect all of us.

I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/

Season 3 of FindingTheVoices about Manipur highlighting Inspiration, Education, Empowerment and Entertainment.

/ Monica Ingudam / 20 Comments

Season 3 of FindingTheVoices, Washington DC (April 2016-April 2017)

A talk show by Monica Ingudam, originally from Manipur, India. Presenting voices about Manipur highlighting Inspiration, Education, Empowerment and Entertainment. Voices of people with a vision to promote positivity in the violence-torn land of Manipur. A platform for the people, by the people. A platform where we have come together despite the diversity of ethnicity or religion connecting us by humanity.

voices leaving us in tears …
voices giving us hope …
voices expressed in writings …
voices making us laugh …

We believe that these voices will connect all of us and definitely contribute to change the scenery of the conflict and violence-torn to peace and progress in our society.

A weekly talk show, releasing every Saturday at http://FindingTheVoices.com
for Season 3 (April 2016 – April 2017)

FindingTheVoices is supported by the people making FindingTheVoices their own platform. Join the family of FindingTheVoices. Inviting Sponsors for Season 3 of FindingTheVoices.

Thanks to our Media Partners for featuring FindingTheVoices, elevating the voices to a wider audience.

  • FindingTheVoices is aired in ISTV, Local TV channel in Manipur, India. (Every Tuesdays at 7 PM With a repeat telecast on Wednesdays 11 AM and 2 PM.)
  • FindingTheVoices featured by Manipur Times.
  • FindingTheVoices featured by OurStories.

Join us in our journey of FindingTheVoices. Follow us at Facebook, twitter, Instagram, YouTube. I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/

Inviting Sponsors for Season 3 of FindingTheVoices

/ Monica Ingudam / 3 Comments

FindingTheVoices is 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, my native place in India.

I am on a mission to find voices, voices about Manipur highlighting on Inspiration, Education, Empowerment and Entertainment.  I believe that these stories will bring a change and create a positive image of Manipur and positive thinking to many individuals. I believe that these voices will definitely contribute to change the scenery of the conflict and violence-torn to peace and progress in our society. 

We have received very positive feedback for the voices featured during Season 1 and Season 2. Particularly I am touched by the stories shared by our Guest Speakers and messages from the listeners on how the stories have left them inspired. 

Juggling with my work, family and being a mother to 2 young kids, I found it extremely challenging to continue with the talk show with long weekends and many late nights of editing. We did have freelance team members helping for editing but because of the cost and infrastructure challenges, I ended up picking up. I felt that my editing compromised the quality of the productions. I have to admit that I did think of giving up at times, but it is the stories shared by our Guest Speakers and messages from our listeners that kept me going.

This year, I am seeking out to you to become a sponsor and fund this project for Season 3 (2016 – 2017) which will cover 52 Episodes for 1 year, with a release of 1 Episode weekly.  We appreciate any amount of contributions. This will help with our productions. You can contribute in person if you are in Imphal, Manipur or a direct bank transfer  or you can contribute online using the following link:

https://www.paypal.me/FindingTheVoices

https://www.gofundme.com/S3FindingTheVoices

We will be sharing and including the pictures of sponsors in our videos of Season 3. Thank you for being a part of my journey of FindingTheVoices by making this your own. Thanks for all your support and keep tuning in at http://FindingTheVoices.com

S02E39 FindingTheVoices: Mainland Media and Manipur

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FindingTheVoices: Bhargab Sarmah Mainland Media and Manipur
Guest Speaker : Bhargab Sarmah, journalist at Catch News
A video Interview, with Bhargab Sarmah joining in from Delhi, India.
Language: Interview in English
Bhargab Sarmah’s article “Did Indian media just ignore the Mr. World from Manipur?” caught our eyes and we invited him in our show to thank him in person for highlighting Manipur.
In this interview he shared his view about Mainland Media and Manipur. He shared his view on the connection of conflict situation and lack of sponsors for sports initiative in Manipur.

BoMI_5rn and raised in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur, I have a vision to promote and spread inspiring, empowering, educative & entertaining stories. I believe that we can create contents bringing the positive side of Manipur. I believe we can do this together by finding the voices, voices which needs to be heard and shared, voices of our own people, people of Manipur and well-wishers of Manipur. I believe that these voices will bring a change and connect all of us.I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/

S02E38 FindingTheVoices: Manipur and Polo, Ed Armstrong, Hun-Tre Adventures, USA

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FindingTheVoices: Manipur and Polo, Ed Armstrong, Hun-Tre Adventures, USA
Guest Speaker : Ed Armstrong
A Video Interview, with Ed Armstrong joining in from USA
Language: Interview in English
Ed Armstrong,  Partner at Huntre!Adventures, a tour company offering package to the Birthplace of Polo in Manipur. I was excited to read about his association with Polo and Manipur and invited him to share about his experience and work.
He shared very interesting details based on his experience on his travels and interaction with people in Manipur. Happy to hear him share that “The Manipuri Polo team is by far one of the best team in the world.”
He spoke about Polo and the level of Manipuri players for both the men and women teams comparing with the USPA team. He spoke about the charm and tourism aspects of Manipur identifying Ema Keithel as the high point and internet as an improvement. Asking him “What does tourist in Manipur love about Ema Keithel ?” He shared that the friendly people in Ema Keithel want to sell things but they are not aggressive like they are at New Delhi. Ema Keithel is a high spot for tourism and Ed Armstrong indicated that he hopes that Ema Keithel comes up and going, after the effects of the recent earthquake in Manipur. He added that “simple things like internet could be improved in Manipur”.
He shared details about the tours planned to Manipur as part of the offerings from Hun-Tre Adventures.

MI_5Born and raised in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur, I have a vision to promote and spread inspiring, empowering, educative & entertaining stories. I believe that we can create contents bringing the positive side of Manipur. I believe we can do this together by finding the voices, voices which needs to be heard and shared, voices of our own people, people of Manipur and well-wishers of Manipur. I believe that these voices will bring a change and connect all of us.

I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/