Historic Moment for Manipur as Bijoy Kakchingtabam Is Nominated to Press Council of India

Asem Bhakta Singh, KalimNews, Oct 8, 2026, Imphal : Senior journalist Bijoy Kakchingtabam has been nominated as a member of the Press Council of India (PCI) by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, marking a significant moment for Manipur’s journalism fraternity.

According to Notification No. S.O. 5494(E) issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in New Delhi on October 7, 2026, Bijoy Kakchingtabam, a resident of Keishampat Thiyam Leirak Machin in Imphal West, has been nominated to the Press Council under the category of “Working Journalists Other than Editors.” His nomination has been made under clause (a) of sub-section (3) of Section 5 of the Press Council Act, 1978.

The latest notification amends the principal notification, S.O. 5509(E), dated December 19, 2024, concerning the constitution of the Press Council.

Bijoy Kakchingtabam’s nomination carries particular significance as he becomes the first working journalist from Manipur to be nominated to the Press Council of India under the working journalists’ category.

Manipur has previously had representation in the Press Council. Dr. Khaidem Athouba Meitei was the first person from Manipur to become a member of the PCI. With his latest nomination, Bijoy Kakchingtabam becomes the second Manipuri overall to serve on the Press Council, while also achieving the distinction of being the first Manipuri working journalist from the state to receive such a nomination.

The achievement is also notable because this was Kakchingtabam’s second attempt at securing representation on the national statutory body. Of the 13 applicants in the Working Journalist—Other than Editor category, seven were selected, while six were selected under the Working Journalist—Editor category.

The nomination comes at a particularly important time for Manipur, which has been experiencing prolonged conflict and a challenging environment for the media. Issues concerning press freedom, the safety and security of journalists, access to information and the ability of media professionals to report from the ground have remained matters of serious concern.

Against this backdrop, the presence of a representative from Manipur on the Press Council of India is being viewed by members of the state’s media fraternity as an important opportunity to bring the concerns of local journalists and the realities of reporting in the state before a national statutory body.

Members of the local media community have expressed the hope that Kakchingtabam will serve as a strong and effective voice for journalists from Manipur, highlighting their professional challenges and ensuring that issues affecting the state’s media receive appropriate attention at the national level.

Kakchingtabam is a familiar and respected figure within Manipur’s journalism fraternity and has been associated with the profession for many years. His nomination is therefore being regarded not only as a personal professional achievement but also as a significant recognition for the wider journalistic community of the state.

A felicitation programme was held on October 8 at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal to honour Bijoy Kakchingtabam following his nomination to the Press Council of India.

The programme brought together senior representatives of the state’s information and public relations establishment, journalists’ organisations and members of both the print and electronic media.

Those present included Asem Bhakta Singh, President of the All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU); Dr. Th. Charanjeet Singh, Director, IPR; Tongbram Ramesh, Additional Director, IPR; L. Ashok Kumar, Joint Director, IPR; Khogendra Khomdram, President, EGM; and Khwirakpam Naoba, General Secretary, AMWJU, along with executive members of the Union.

Aribam Balkrishna Sharma, Advisor to the AMWJU and a retired Joint Director of IPR, also attended the programme, along with journalists and representatives of the print and electronic media.

Members of the press fraternity extended their congratulations to Bijoy Kakchingtabam and welcomed his nomination, describing it as an important milestone for Manipur’s media community.

His elevation to the Press Council of India is expected to provide a wider national platform for issues concerning journalists in Manipur and comes as a significant recognition of the contribution of the state’s working journalists to the profession.

For Manipur, the nomination represents more than an individual accomplishment: it marks a new chapter in the state’s representation in India’s apex statutory body for the press and places the experiences and concerns of its working journalists within a broader national forum.