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{{Short description|Indian dancer and musician (1924–2014)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Haobam Ongbi Ngangbi Devi
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date = 1 August 1924
| birth_place = Uripok Bachaspati Leikai, [[Imphal]], [[Manipur]], India
| death_date = 12 June 2014
| death_place = [[Imphal]]
| restingplace =
| restingplacecoordinates = {{coord|21.1030|72.4641|display=inline}}
| othername =
| occupation = Classical dancer, musician
| yearsactive =
| spouse = Haobam Amuba Singh
| domesticpartner =
| children =
| parents = Koijam Bokul Singh
| website = {{URL||Official web site}}
| awards = [[Padma Shri]] [[Government of Assam]] Birangana [[Government of Manipur]] Gold Medal Manipur State Kala Akademi Award Nirtya Bhushan Award [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
}}
'''Haobam Ongbi Ngangbi Devi''' (1 August 1924 – 12 June 2014) was an Indian classical dancer and musician,<ref name="E Pao">{{cite web | url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=features.Profile_of_Manipuri_Personalities.Donny_Luwang.Haobam_Ongbi_Ngangbi_Art | title=E Pao | publisher=E Pao | date=23 April 2010 | access-date=18 December 2014}}</ref> known for her expertise in the [[Manipuri Dance]] forms of [[Lai Haraoba]] and ''Raas''.<ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi">{{cite web | url=http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/obituary/condolence_ShrimatiHaobamOngbiNgangbiDevi.htm | title=Sangeet Natak Akademi | publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi | date=2014 | access-date=18 December 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219121005/http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/obituary/condolence_ShrimatiHaobamOngbiNgangbiDevi.htm | archive-date=19 December 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Indian Express">{{cite web | url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/article191697.ece?service=print | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224101420/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/article191697.ece?service=print | url-status=dead | archive-date=24 December 2014 | title=Indian Express | publisher=Indian Express | date=7 April 2010 | access-date=18 December 2014}}</ref><ref name="India online">{{cite web | url=http://www.indiaonline.in/About/Personalities/DancersandMusicians/index.html | title=India online | publisher=India online | date=2014 | access-date=18 December 2014 | archive-date=13 June 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613142245/http://www.indiaonline.in/About/Personalities/DancersandMusicians/index.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2010, the [[Government of India]] awarded Haobam Ongbi Ngangbi Devi the [[Padma Shri]], the fourth highest Indian civilian award.<ref name="Padma Shri">{{cite web | url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | title=Padma Shri | publisher=Padma Shri | date=2014 | access-date=11 November 2014 | archive-date=15 October 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Economic Times">{{cite web | url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/padma-awards-2010/haobam-ongbi-ngangbi-devi/slideshow/5771428.cms | title=Economic Times | publisher=Economic Times | date=2010 | access-date=18 December 2014}}</ref>

==Biography==
[[File:Lai haraoba.JPG|thumb|240px|Lai haraoba]]
Haobam Ongbi Ngangbi Devi was born on 1 August 1924<ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi" /> at Uripok Bachaspati Leikai, [[Imphal]] in the Indian state of [[Manipur]] to Kijam Bokul Singh who was a locally known ''Sankirtan Pala''<ref name="Cultural History of Manipur: Sija Laioibi and the Maharas">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wLzDLsEYZGQC&q=Sankirtan+Pala&pg=PA71 | title=Cultural History of Manipur: Sija Laioibi and the Maharas | publisher=Mittal Publications | author=Jamini Devi | year=2010 | pages=140 | isbn=9788183243421}}</ref> performer.<ref name="E Pao" /> She started learning Manipuri dance and music from the age of five from ''Manipuri Sangeertan Sangh'' and debuted as an artiste at ''Jaipaiguri Festival'', in [[Kolkata]] in 1930. She, later, studied [[Lai Haraoba]], Raas and the ethnic dance forms of the hills under the tutelage of renowned teachers such as
Guru Atomba Singh, Yumnam Ojah Natum Singh, Guru M. Amubi Singh,<ref name="The Hindu">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/dance/a-doer-who-was-devotee/article6107269.ece | title= A doer who was devotee | first=Tapati | last=Chowdhurie | newspaper=The Hindu | date=12 June 2014 | access-date=25 June 2018}}</ref> and Ngangom Ojah Jugindro Singh during the period from 1932 till 1940.<ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi" /> She also learnt classical music from Ustad Meisnam Bidhu Singh and Chingakham Radhacharan Singh.<ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi" /><ref name="E Pao" />

Ngangbi Devi, known as the first classical singer from [[Manipur]], started recording for the [[All India Radio]] and also sang playback for ''Mainu Pemcha'', the first feature film attempted by Manipuri,<ref name="Mainu Pemcha">{{cite web | url=http://e-pao.net/epPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.Cinema.html.. | title=Mainu Pemcha | publisher=E Pao | date=2014 | access-date=19 December 2014}}</ref> in 1948.<ref name="E Pao" /> When [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] Manipur Dance Academy was established,<ref name="JNMDA">{{cite web | url=http://www.sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/jnmda.htm | title=JNMDA | publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi | date=2014 | access-date=19 December 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219113820/http://www.sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/jnmda.htm | archive-date=19 December 2014 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Ngangbi Devi was appointed as a faculty member in the departments of dance and music.<ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi" /> The Academy, an institution of moderate proportions in the beginning, grew over the years during Devi's tenure as a teacher of [[Lai Haraoba]] there.<ref name="JNMDA faculty">{{cite web | url=http://www.sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/jnmda-gurus.htm | title=JNMDA faculty | publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi | date=2014 | access-date=19 December 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219113336/http://www.sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/jnmda-gurus.htm | archive-date=19 December 2014 }}</ref> She is reported to have researched on Lai Haraoba and is credited with preparing a syllabus for the institution. She also updated herself by continuing her studies at ''Lalit Kala Bhavan'' and worked as an actress for the Manipur Dramatic Union, Rupmahal Theatre and Aryan Theatre during the period from 1936 to 1945.<ref name="E Pao" />

Devi continued her work at the JNM Dance Academy where she rose in ranks to become the Head of the Department of Folk and Community Dance in 1966 and held the post of the vice principal of the Academy at the time of her retirement in 1985.<ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi" /><ref name="E Pao" /> Devi, during her active years, has participated in various national and international occasions and festivals such as the Republic Day Folk Dance Festival, National Dance Festival and Inter State Cultural Exchange Programs.<ref name="E Pao" />

Ngambi Devi married Haobam Amuba Singh in 1941 and the couple had a son.<ref name="E Pao" /> She died on 11 June 2014 at her residence Uripok Tourangbam Leikai, Imphal.<ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi" />

==Awards and recognitions==
Ngangbi Devi, a recipient of ''Birangana'' title from the [[Government of Assam]] and a Gold Medal from the [[Government of Manipur]], was awarded the Manipur State Kala Akademi Award in 1980.<ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi" /><ref name="E Pao" /> Two years later, in 1985, Manipuri Sahitya Parishad honored her with the ''Nirtya Bhushan'' Award.<ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi" /><ref name="E Pao" /> In 1993, she received the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]].<ref name="India online" /> The [[Government of India]] included her, in 2010, in the [[Indian honours system|Republic Day honours]] list for the civilian award of [[Padma Shri]].<ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi" /><ref name="E Pao" /><ref name="India online" />

==See also==
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Manipuri dance]]
* [[Lai Haraoba]]
{{div col end}}
{{portal|India}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web | url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/padma-awards-2010/haobam-ongbi-ngangbi-devi/slideshow/5771428.cms | title=Economic Times | publisher=Economic Times | date=2010 | access-date=18 December 2014}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Devi, Haobam Ongbi Ngangbi}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts]]
[[Category:Manipuri dancers]]
[[Category:Musicians from Manipur]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
[[Category:People from Imphal]]
[[Category:Indian women classical musicians]]
[[Category:Indian female classical dancers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dancers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women artists]]
[[Category:Dancers from Manipur]]
[[Category:Women artists from Manipur]]
[[Category:Artists from Manipur]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women singers]]

Haobam Ongbi Ngangbi Devi - Revision history

Collegevidya at 04:26, 12 January 2026