In this file photo, Prof Temsula Ao is seen signing books at Dimapur Government College on February 16, 2022. (Photo Courtesy: Lima Lemtur).
Dimapur, October 9 (MExN): Noted Naga Poet, Writer and Teacher, Prof Temsula Ao passed away at Eden Hospital Dimapur on October 9.
She graduated from Mokokchung’s Fazl Ali Colleg, obtained her Masters from Gauhati University and PhD from the North Eastern Hill University, Shillong from where she retired as in 2010 as Professor, Department of English, and Dean of the School of Humanities and Education. While Wikipedia and other records put here year of birth in 1945, other reports suggest that she was 80.
A Padma Shri (2007) for Literature and Education as well as Sahitya Akademi Award (2013) in English for Laburnum for My Head, Prof Temsula was widely known and respected as one of the major literary voices in the North-East. She was honoured with Governor’s Award in 2009. Among others, she served as the Chairperson of Nagaland State Commission for Women and Director of the North East Zone Cultural Centre.
Her major public appearances in recent times were at the launch of her books, Songs Along The Way Home and Aosenla’s Story in February and The Tombstone in My Garden: Stories From Nagaland in April. The latter was described as holding up “mirror to everyday life in Nagaland.”
Prof Temsula ethnographic work, The Ao-Naga Oral Tradition has been widely acknowledged and referred as authoritative account of the Ao-Naga community.
