Niketu Iralu spent decades building trust across political and ethnic divisions in the region

Updated on: Aug 18, 2026, 23:09:49 IST

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Niketu Iralu: A Life Dedicated to Peace

Niketu Iralu, a prominent Naga activist who spent more than six decades promoting peace and ethnic reconciliation across the Northeast, died on Tuesday at a hospital in New Delhi. He was 91.

A resident of Sechü Zubza in Nagaland’s Kohima district, Iralu dedicated more than 65 years to Initiatives of Change (formerly Moral Re-Armament), focusing on personal transformation and dialogue.

Leaders across the state expressed grief over his death. Nagaland deputy chief minister TR Zeliang called him a “towering figure” whose wisdom and commitment to reconciliation would remain etched in Nagaland’s history.

“A towering figure in our society, he dedicated his life to building bridges, fostering understanding and guiding us towards peace, particularly through the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR). His wisdom, humility and unwavering commitment to peace and reconciliation will remain etched in the history of Nagaland. His passing is a monumental loss to our people,” Zeliang said in a post on X.

Deputy chief minister Yanthungo Patton and Rajya Sabha MP S Phangnon Konyak also paid tributes, hailing him as a pillar of peace and compassion.

“He dedicated his life to bringing people together through dialogue and his profound belief in the power of ‘Listening’. His passing is a great loss to the Naga community and to all who valued his wisdom and compassion,” Konyak said.

Iralu held several key positions throughout his life, including serving as a trustee of the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research and a member of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR). He was also a recipient of the Upendra Nath Brahma Soldier of Humanity Award (2011), the Bhupen Hazarika Integration Award (2023), and the IofC Lifetime Achiever Award (2025).

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