biography
I'M DR MEENA LONGJAM
Assistant Professor | Documentary Filmmaker| Indigenous peoples and Sustainability |Mayor for Peace Fellow (Hiroshima)| Reawakened food fellow 2021

I have 14 years of experience (age 36) in filmmaking, academic research, and teaching. I won the 2015 National award for documentary filmmaking from former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee for my film “Autodriver” – on the struggle and triumphs of Imphal’s first female Autodriver Oinam Laibi. I am also heading the Department of Culture Studies at the Manipur University of Culture. I am a Ph.D. holder and I document both contemporary and historical Manipur culture through my academic research and filmmaking.
EXPERIENCE
Manipur University of Culture (Septemper 2016 – till date)
I am the Head of the Department of Culture Studies, Manipur University of Culture. I started working as a contract lecturer, but soon joined working the institution full-time as an Assistant Professor. During this time period I have tried to research some unique aspects of Manipur culture – like the tradition of Lai-Haraoba, our ancient Sagol Kangjei ponies, which have given rise to the modern sport of polo; the role of Maibis (priestess), and their social standing; distribution and cultural impact of the Manipur film industry. I have also tried to write on women’s issues, the impact of social media, folktales, and proverbs of the Meitei people of the plains; and my work has been published in international academic journals like “Chinaky – A Research Journal on Humanities and Social Science,” newspapers, comics and books like “Aesthetics and Culture in Performing Arts,” “Globalisation to Glocalisation,” etc. My work has been referenced in books like “Media in Manipur” and “Knowing Manipur from the Endogenous Perspective.” I’ve also tried to imbue my students with my enthusiasm for our culture and the eed for preserving it; and I’m proud to say that some of my students have produced fantastic work that has appeared in newspaper articles, books and films.
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