Born in a humble family at Imphal on September 30, 1896 Hijam Irawat Singh lost his parents in early childhood. He earned his living and bore the cost of education through manual labour. A good student, he excelled in sports, and found a place in the Manipur Maharajah's Hockey Team.
In 1924 he attended a public meeting in Calcutta, heard Mahatma Gandhi's address & was inspired to dedicate his life to the service of the people.
He became a Magistrate in 1927, using his position in order to study the problems of common people and develop ways to solve them. He started a mass campaign for socio-economic uplift of the people, fighting against religious exploitation and economic oppression. In those days the British colonialist ruled the people of Manipur with the active cooperation of the king of Manipur. The Maharajah along with the priests practised excommunication for religious offences. This excommunication was known as 'Mangba-Shengba'. Irawat led the people's protest against this practice of 'Mangba-Shengba', successfully.
Irawat Singh was one of the founders of Nikhil Manipur Mahasabha, established in 1934. Nikhil Manipur Mahasabha (originally Nikhil Hindu Manipur Mahasabha) was established with the aim of unifying the Manipuri people inside and outside Manipur state. Irawat transformed the Nikhil Manipur Mahasabha into a political party in 1938 to fight against the dual rule of the British colonialists and the king.
The historic 'Nupilal' (Women's War) of Manipur took place on December 12, 1939 against the scarcity of rice. The women agitationists looked to Irawat for leadership of the movement. Under Irawat's leadership the women's movement was transformed into a political agitation. On 9th January 1940 Irawat was arrested and imprisoned in Imphal jail, later transferred to Sylhat jai. On release from Sylhat jain on March 20, 1943 his entry was banned into his beloved motherland Manipur by the Manipur Durbar. He stayed in Cachar and worked to organise the peasants movements. He became the Secretary and later the Chairman of the Surma Valley Kisan Sabha.
In 1948 he was elected to the Manipur State Assembly. Irawat Singh was the pioneer of social reforms and modern Manipuri literature. He was not only a mass political leader, but also a cultural leader who helped to build up the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) in Manipur and Surma Valley. Recognising his contributions in literature he was conferred Sahitya Ratana, posthumously, by the Manipuri Sahitya Parishad.
He died on September 26, 1951 at Tangbaw village near the border of Burma.
The Department of Posts is happy to release this commemorative postage stamp in the honour of this great leader on his birth anniversary.
Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India