The renowned Guru of Lai-Haraoba and Thang-Ta (martial art), Rajkumar Achouba (Achoubisana) left for his heavenly abode on August 19, 2023. A milestone of Manipuri culture, Guru Rajkumar Achouba Singh's demise is a great loss for Manipuri culture as well as Indian culture.
Rajkumar Achouba Singh was born on 5th December 1936 at Imphal, son of R.K. Sanahal Singh and Ch. Mangisija Devi. Achouba was brought up in an environment of an artistic family and he nurtured arts since his early childhood. He was excellent in academics too as he passed Intermediate Science under Guwahati University in 1961. Guru Achouba learned various art forms of Manipur from different Gurus. He learned the fundamentals of Manipuri dance from Ch. Suchindra Singh and R.K. Akesana Singh of Bijoy Govinda Rasdhari in 1985. And further he learned dance from Guru Maisnam Amubi Singh and Guru Haobam Atomba Singh.
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Achoubi Sana's passing is a great loss to eveyone who values intangible cultural heritage and his great contribution to the understnading of Meitei cultural traditions, espcecially Lai Haroba. My heartfelt condolences to his wonderful family whom I had the opportunity to meet in 2020 at his home on my last visit to Imphal. In 1974 and 76 he was my guide and friend enabling me to attend daily classes with Ranjani Maibi assisted by Kumar Maibi and also visit many local Lai Haroba festivals. Moving on bicycles throught the monsoon season at a time when Manipur was cut off from outside visitors, it was a great privilege to be allowed there as a foriegner to study at Ras at the Akademi, Kartal Cholom with Guru Thangjam Chaoba Singh and Achoubi Sana made my dance practice and research on Lai Haroba possible. May his memory be a blessing for all. It was my great good fortune to have known him.
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