Guwahati: Renowned Naga peace activist and statesman Niketu Iralu passed away on the evening of August 18 at BLK Hospital in New Delhi following a cardiac arrest. He had reportedly been unwell and was admitted to the hospital.
Iralu, one of Nagaland’s prominent voices for peace and reconciliation, remained actively involved in efforts to bridge divisions and promote dialogue among Naga communities and political groups for more than six decades.
He was a core guiding force in the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and chaired the Naga Reconciliation Commission. Through his work, he remained closely associated with efforts to promote dialogue and reconciliation among Naga groups and communities across the Northeast.
Born in Phek in 1935, Iralu’s association with Initiatives of Change (IofC), formerly known as Moral Re-Armament, began in 1955 during his university days at Madras Christian College. He later served as director of Asia Plateau, the IofC conference and training centre in Panchgani, Maharashtra.
After returning to Nagaland, Iralu continued his work in community-level peace-building, moral leadership and non-violent conflict resolution. He worked to bridge political and ethnic divisions and promote dialogue among communities across the region.
In recognition of his contribution to peace-building and reconciliation, Iralu received the Rotary Peace Award in 2018 for his efforts to build cross-border community trust. In 2019, he was conferred the Distinguished Senior Citizens Award by the Nagaland Government’s Department of Social Welfare.
He received the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Integration Award in 2023 for his contribution to harmony and cultural and social integration in Northeast India.
On November 12, 2025, Iralu was conferred the IofC Lifetime Achiever Award in recognition of his long association with the organisation and his contribution to peace-building and reconciliation.
After his retirement, Iralu lived with his wife, Christine, at Sechü Zubza in Kohima district. Their home, Kerunyu Ki, meaning “House of Listening”, became a place where people and leaders from different communities gathered for counsel, dialogue and reconciliation.
His death has evoked widespread grief across Nagaland and the Northeast, with political leaders, civil society organisations and peace advocates paying tribute to his contribution to peace and reconciliation.
In a condolence message, Vitono Gugu Haralu of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation described Iralu as a Naga elder who devoted much of his life to peace, reconciliation, dialogue and healing among the Naga people.
She described him as a symbol of Naga unity and solidarity who consistently reminded people that their differences should not become greater than their common belonging as a people.
“Today, we have lost an elder, a peacemaker, and a voice of conscience,” Haralu said.
Iralu is survived by his wife, Christine, and other family members. Funeral arrangements and details of a public memorial are expected to be announced by the family.