Birthday of Iman Sing Chemjung
Celebrated on: Jan 01
Iman Singh Chemjong was a Kirat historian, writer, linguist, lexicographer, folklorist, and philosopher of Nepal. He was born on January 1, 1904, in Renkebung, Darjeeling, India, to his parents, Devapu Hangma and Megbar Singh Chemjong. He got his Certificate Level education in 1928 and was about to enroll for a Bachelor's degree when his father, Megbar Singh Chemjong, died. As a result, he had to put his academic aspirations on hold.
He devoted his entire life to studying and documenting various facets of Kirat tradition & culture when such activities were frowned upon and even punished by the Nepalese ruling elite as being subversive and anti-national. His research and publication of a Kirat history and culture challenged perceptions of the Nepalese official doctrine as a Hindu cultural monolith devoid of alternative narratives. A turning point in Chemjong’s life began in 1925 when the legendary Limbu activist Lalshore Sendang visited Kalimpong, Darjeeling, and met Limbu elders and activists. Chemjong researched the Limbu language and culture in Limbuwan (Eastern Nepal), Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Assam. In his lifetime, he published the following works:
- Kirat Itihas 1948
- Kirat Sahityako Itihas 1955
- Kirat Folklore 1961
- Kirat Mundhum 1961
- Limbu-Nepali-English Dictionary 1961
- Kirat Mundhum Khahun 1965
- Kirat History and Culture 1967
- Kirat Darshanko Saransh 1969
- Lepcha-Nepali-English Dictionary 1969
- Bijayapurko Itihas 1974
King Mahendra invited Chemjong to join Nepali’s Tribhuvan University as a ‘Limbu Expert’ in 1961. For years until his death, he headed a one-man Limbu research team at the then Nepal’s only University.
Today, the Kirat community worldwide reveres Chemjong as a hero for almost single-handedly researching and documenting various aspects of Limbu & Kirati life at a time when such activities were neither encouraged nor fashionable. Various functions are held each year to commemorate Chemjong’s contributions. He was survived by his wife, Amiran Chemjong, two daughters, three sons, and nine grandchildren.