Nagaland: KC hosts lecture on Ireland’s imperial past

Kohima College, Kohima, hosted an international public lecture on Ireland and the Empire on December 3, bringing together scholars, students and dignitaries for an engaging academic exchange.
According to DIPR report, the programme was organized by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) in collaboration with the Embassy of Ireland.
Professor Jane Ohlmeyer of Trinity College Dublin served as the resource person, while Dr. Eunice Alinger of the Department of History, Kohima College, moderated the session. Advisor for School Education & SCERT, Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, graced the occasion.
Irish Ambassador to India Kevin Kelly, who attended the lecture, expressed gratitude to the people of Nagaland for their warm welcome during the Hornbill Festival. He highlighted Ireland’s cultural engagements in the state, including performances by an Irish group and the installation of the Celtic statue Danu.
Drawing parallels between the Irish and the Nagas, he said both peoples continue to seek peaceful solutions.
On recent attacks against Indian nationals in Ireland, Kelly condemned the incidents as shocking and unrepresentative, reaffirming Ireland’s commitment to the safety and dignity of the Indian community.
Delivering the lecture, Prof. Ohlmeyer examined Ireland’s complex relationship with the British Empire, describing it as both a colony and a contributor to imperial expansion.
She termed Ireland a “laboratory of empire,” where colonial practices were developed and later applied in India. She also highlighted the role of Irish administrators and soldiers in British India, and traced connections between Irish and Indian nationalist movements, noting how strategies such as boycotts influenced Mahatma Gandhi. Prof. Ohlmeyer expressed hope that collaboration between Ireland and Nagaland would deepen in the years ahead.
Principal Dr. Vitsosie Vüprü, in his address, thanked the Embassy for its collaboration and shared the history and academic offerings of the college. The programme concluded with an interactive session.