ITANAGAR, Nov 7: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein today attended the Reunion of Tai Relatives, organized by the Society for Tai Ahom Resurgence (STAR) at Yuva Dol, Sivasagar, Assam.
The event marked a historic coming together of the Tai Royal Families from Myanmar, descendants of the illustrious Chaolung Sukapha, founder of the Ahom dynasty, and their counterparts from the Tai Ahom Royal Families of Assam.
Addressing the gathering, Mein expressed happiness in being part of this significant cultural reunion, which he described as “a celebration of our shared heritage, our language, and our unbreakable cultural bonds that span across borders.”
He lauded the STAR and its Chairman Dr Hemanta Kumar Gogoi for their efforts in organizing the event. Mein also fondly recalled his long association with Sai San Aik, a Shan history researcher from Myanmar and his own visits to Myanmar including to Putao and Shan Province, which, he said, helped strengthen people-to-people connection between the Tai communities across borders.
On the occasion, he also drew attention to the heroic legacy of Ranuah Gohain, a Tai royal leader who fought against British forces in 1839 long before the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny and reiterated his commitment to bringing greater recognition to this forgotten chapter of India’s freedom struggle through historical documentation and archival recovery.
Calling for renewed efforts to preserve and promote the age-old Tai language, the Dy CM described it as a “living link to our collective past and a treasure of history, literature, and tradition.” He urged Tai communities across India and Myanmar to work together for linguistic preservation, cultural research, and youth engagement, saying that “reviving and nurturing the Tai language will deepen understanding and unity among all Tai people.”