Smartkabadi at 06:56, 20 January 2026

2026-01-20T06:56:53Z

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{{Short description|Indian musician (1927–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Khangembam Mangi Singh
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1927|11|08}}
| birth_place = Lambal, [[Imphal]], Manipur, India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2022|06|15|1927|11|08}}
| death_place =
| restingplace =
| restingplacecoordinates =
| othername =
| occupation = Pena musician
| yearsactive = 1938–2022
| spouse = Yengkhom Mema
| domesticpartner =
| children = Two children
| parents = Khangembam Tomei
| website = {{URL||Official web site}}
| awards = [[Padma Shri]] [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] Manipuri Sahitya Parishad Shanman LEIKOL Basanta Bimala Award Manipur State Kala Akademy Award Manipuri Sahitya Parishad Sangeet Bhushan Sana Leikham Pena Shanglakpa
}}
{{quotebox|align = left|width=10em|''The Pena or Tingteila is a bowed [[lute]]. It is the oldest instrument known to the [[Meiteis]]. It is used in folk music as well as an accompaniment to [[Manipuri dance|Manipuri]] dances.''<ref name="Pena">{{cite web | url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/traditional-indigenous-musical-instrument-pena-being-revived-manipur-071751548.html | title=Pena | publisher=Yahoo news | date=2014 | access-date=18 November 2014}}</ref>}}
'''Khangembam Mangi Singh''' (8 November 1927 – 15 June 2022), popularly known as '''Guru Pena Mangi''', was an Indian musician, known for his expertise on the [[Manipur]]i traditional musical instrument [[Pena (musical instrument)|Pena]].<ref name="Award citation">{{cite web | url=http://www.e-pao.net/epGallery.asp?id=1&src=Arts_Dances/Manipuri_Dance_Gallery/MangiPena201102 | title=Award citation | publisher=E Pao | date=2014 | access-date=18 November 2014}}</ref> The Government of India honored him in 2011, with the fourth highest civilian award of [[Padma Shri]].<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 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015 }}</ref>

==Biography==
[[File:"PENA" a musical instrument.jpg|240px|thumb|"PENA" a musical instrument]]
Khangembam Mangi Singh was born on 8 November 1927<ref name="Sify">{{Cite web |date=5 March 2011 |title=Pena exponent Mangi Singh, Manipur's rising star |url=http://www.sify.com/news/pena-exponent-mangi-singh-manipur-s-rising-star-news-national-ldfsaegfggisi.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111064656/http://www.sify.com/news/pena-exponent-mangi-singh-manipur-s-rising-star-news-national-ldfsaegfggisi.html |archive-date=2015-01-11 |access-date=18 November 2014 |website=[[Sify]] |agency=[[Asian News International|ANI]]}}</ref> in a family with meagre financial resources in a small hamlet in the [[Manipur]]i capital Imphal west known as Lambal, in India to locally know Pena musician, Khangembam Tomei, as one of his eight children.<ref name="Imphal Free Press">{{cite web | url=http://ifp.co.in/page/items/20276/20276-pena-maestro-guru-mangi | title=Imphal Free Press | publisher=Imphal Free Press | work=News Report | date=29 March 2014 | access-date=18 November 2014 | author=Jimmy Leivon}}</ref> He started learning Pena at a young age from his father as well as musicians such as Moirangthem Modu of Lairenkabi, Phamdom Sanajao of Tera Urak, Thangjam Toyai, Tokpam Papu, Khumukcham Kanhai, Yumnam Kanhai and Thokchom Tolomu. His father left the family when the young Khangembam was only eleven<ref name="Sify" /><ref name="Manipur Online">{{cite web | url=http://manipuronline.com/headlines/pena-exponent-mangi-singh-manipurs-rising-star/2011/03/06 | title=Manipur Online | publisher=Manipur Online | date=6 March 2011 | access-date=18 November 2014 | archive-date=2 December 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141202110917/http://manipuronline.com/headlines/pena-exponent-mangi-singh-manipurs-rising-star/2011/03/06 | url-status=dead }}</ref> and he had no resources to pursue formal education. Instead Khangembam utilised his skills in Pena music for eking out a living for his family, and had an opportunity to perform in front of King Budhachandra, the King of Manipur.<ref name="Imphal Free Press" /> He also worked as a bullock cart transporter apart from performing the Pena recitations.

In 1975, Mangi Singh joined Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, then known as Dance College, as a Pena performer and worked there till his retirement in 1996 as the Guru of [[Lai Haraoba]].<ref name="Sify" /> He hold the positions of Sana Leikham Pena Shanglakpa at the Manipur Pandit Loishang and Guru of Laihui where he taught Pena.<ref name="Imphal Free Press" /><ref name="Sify" /><ref name="Manipur Online" />

Khangembam Mangi Singh was married to Yengkhom Mema and the couple has two children. The family lived at Lourung Purel Leikai in West Imphal.<ref name="Imphal Free Press" /> He died on 15 June 2022, at the age of 94.<ref>{{cite news |title=Eminent Pena Guru Khangembam Mangi condoled |url=https://www.thesangaiexpress.com/Encyc/2022/6/16/IMPHAL-Jun-16The-employees-of-Manipur-State-Kala-Akademi-condoled-the-demise-of-eminent-Pena-Guru.html |access-date=11 October 2023 |publisher=The Sangai Express |date=16 June 2022}}</ref>

==Legacy and recognitions==
Mangi Singh was the founder member of Laihui,<ref name="Laihui">{{cite web | url=http://laihui.org/ | title=Laihui | publisher=Laihui | date=2014 | access-date=18 November 2014}}</ref> a centre for research on traditional and indigenous performing arts started in 1985.<ref name="Imphal Free Press" /> He has performed in many places across the world such as Mexico, Washington, London, Berlin, France and Asian countries and has participated in traditional manipuri plays and festivals.<ref name="Sify" /><ref name="Manipur Online" /> He has also presented papers and has held demonstrations on Lai haraoba and Pena at various seminars and workshops.<ref name="Imphal Free Press" />

Mangi Singh, the first Pena player to be honoured with the [[Padma Shri]]<ref name="Sify" /><ref name="Manipur Online" /> which he received in 2011, has won many awards such as the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] (2006), Manipuri Sahitya Parishad Shanman (2010), LEIKOL Basanta Bimala Award (2008), Manipur State Kala Akademy Award (2005), Manipuri Sahitya Parishad Sangeet Bhushan (2004) and Sana Leikham Pena Shanglakpa (2002) from the Manipur Pandit Loishang.<ref name="Imphal Free Press" />

==See also==
* [[Music of Manipur]]
{{portal|India|Music}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_h6I811nbg | title=Oja Mangi, Pena Guru of Manipur Music | publisher=YouTube | work=Video | date=23 March 2014 | access-date=18 November 2014}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Khangembam Mangi}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:2022 deaths]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian musicians]]
[[Category:Musicians from Manipur]]
[[Category:People from Imphal West district]]
[[Category:Indian male musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male musicians]]

Khangembam Mangi Singh - Revision history

Smartkabadi at 06:56, 20 January 2026