Morung Express News
Kohima | May 15
In the 1940s and 50s, the children of Kohima village would often sight a Doctor donning a suit and a hat, carrying a briefcase accompanied by a walking stick on his way home from work. The Doctor, Dr. Neilhouzhü Kire, would be remembered by these children (now old men and women) as the man who offered them rare coconut candies when they go for medical check-ups.
In the collective memory, Dr. Kire is best remembered, not as the first matriculate among Nagas but for his humanitarian works as a medical specialist, as a founding member of several institutions in Nagaland and simply as a good human.
On Tuesday evening, May 15, families, friends and well wishers of the late Dr. Neilhouzhü Kire gathered at the old family home in Kohima village where he and his wife are buried to commemorate the 49th death anniversary of their pioneer father. Though surrounded by newly developed buildings, the old humble family home of Dr. Kire stands out for two reasons: it is one among the two oldest houses in Kohima village and more importantly it was a respite for the sick and needy.
“The house was a place for the sick people in the village. Many poor patients would come to his place for medication for free. And for the sick children, he always had sweets to offer,” recollects Dr. Joyce Angami, the eldest grandchild of Dr. N. Kire.
Dr. Kire was born in 1900 in Kohima village to Virelie Kire and Tsoziὔ of the Dapfiitsumia khel. In 1918, he cleared his matriculation examination from the Shillong Government High School to become the first Naga matriculate. This year will mark the 100 years of his passing matriculation, significant in the Naga education history. He further studied in Dibrugarh at the Berry White Medical School where he obtained an LMP (Licentiate Medical Practitioner) in 1922.
During the Second World War, Kire was the medical doctor caring for the wounded in the war. He was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind medal in both Second and Third class for his role as the medical doctor on the Pangsha, Rotongre and Trans-Frontier expedition.
After the WWII ended, Dr. Kire took voluntary retirement and applied to open a pharmacy in Kohima in 1948. By then he had rendered 26 years of service in the government. The permission was granted by C R Pawsey, the then Deputy Commissioner of Kohima. Thus, Kohima town received its first pharmacy in 1950, popularly known as Kohima Pharmacy which today is known as Dr. Neilhouzhü Kire Pharmacy.
“He was a dignified man. In his lifetime, he must have treated almost a lakh of people,” says a well-wisher while mentioning that the Pharmacy being the lone one in Kohima catered to the population of Kohima district as well as other districts where people will come from remote areas to avail the medicines at the Kohima pharmacy. A lot of times, the medicines were provided freely for those who could not afford.
“He was the inspiration for me to become a Doctor. Because of these inspirations of what happened in and around the house, I’ve been able to live out the inspiration and became a Doctor,” states Dr. Joyce Angami remembers her grandfather as a wise and progressive man.
Dr. Neilhouzhü Kire is survived by five sons and four daughters. His family remembers him as the family man who ‘liked nothing better than to be able to share meals with visitors and guests to his family home in Kohima village.’
Announcement of HSLC awards in commemoration of 100 yrs of matriculation
The family of late Dr. Neilhouzhü Kire has announced ‘a one-time grant’ awards for toppers in several categories in the 2018 HSLC examinations in commemoration of their late father’s 100 years of matriculation. The Rank 1 Topper in the 2018 HSLC will be awarded with a cash prize of one lakh. ‘This award applies to both Nagas and non-Nagas,’ informed K. Kire, retired DGP Nagaland and son of the late Dr. Kire.
A cash award of Rs.50,000 will also be awarded to the Tenyidie topper. Further, the family will also enhance the cash awards of the Kohima District Planning Development Board’s (DPDB) HSLC toppers’ felicitation where Rs. 50,000 will be awarded to the toppers from government schools.
Toppers from the Dr. Neilhouzhü Kire Government Higher Secondary School, Kohima Village Students’ Union, and Dapfütsumia students’ Union will be awarded a cash prize of Rs. 25,000/- each.
“We want to keep the memory of our father passing matriculation,” informed the family.
