Chief minister meets Pourabi blast victim Maikel

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, June 9, 2018: Chief minister N. Biren Singh met Pourabi blast victim Konthoujam Maikel Meetei, who is also a freelance painter at chief minister’s secretariat today.

The 29-year-old artist hailing from Wakhong Makha Leikai in Imphal East district presented a collage painting to the chief minister during the meeting.

Thanking Maikel for the beautiful painting, the chief minister said it is the responsibility of the government to help victims of violence, who are talented and hard working. He expressed pleasure on being able to take a Cabinet decision by the present government to give a government job to Maikel.

Observing that human life is so precious, N. Biren urged all concerned to shun violence and resolve all the conflicts through peaceful negotiations.

Maikel’s both legs had been amputated after he was seriously injured in a powerful blast that killed seven persons and hurt over 30 people at Pourabi village in Imphal East district on December 16, 2007.

Maikel has completed BFA (1^st Class Painting) from Imphal Art College under Manipur University in 2010. He has won a number of awards and prizes in the field including Young Talented Artistes Award for Painting, 2008-2009 from North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Dimapur and International Best Child Artist Award, 2003 from Korasala Art Society, Hyderabad.

It may be mentioned that on May 16, 2018, the state cabinet took a decision to give a suitable job to Maikel Meetei at art and culture department.