{{Short description|Indian journalist and poet (born 1960)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}} {{Infobox writer | name = Monalisa Changkija | image = | caption = | pseudonym = | birth_name = Tiamerenla Monalisa Changkija | birth_date = 2 March 1960 | birth_place = Jorhat, Assam, India | occupation = {{flatlist| * Journalist * poet }} | education = Hindu College, Delhi | nationality = Indian | alma_mater = | website = | spouse = Bendangtoshi Longkumer }} '''Tiamerenla Monalisa Changkija''' is an Indian journalist and poet from Nagaland. She was the owner of ''Nagaland Page'', a Nagaland daily newspaper that was published from May 1999 to December 2024.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Wire (India)|url=https://m.thewire.in/article/media/english-daily-nagaland-page-shuts-down-after-25-years-due-to-financial-constraints/amp|title=English Daily Nagaland Page Shuts Down After 25 Years|date=8 January 2025|accessdate=8 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Newslaundry|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2025/01/08/online-even-more-taxing-than-print-english-daily-nagaland-page-shuts-shop-after-25-years|title=‘Online even more taxing than print’: English daily Nagaland Page shuts shop after 25 years|date=8 January 2025|accessdate=8 January 2025}}</ref> Changkija was a member of the Working Group on Women's Empowerment in the Indian National Planning Commission.
==Early life== Tiamerenla Monalisa Changkija was born in Jorhat, Assam on 2 March 1960.{{sfn|Raimedhi|2014|page=19}} Her family belongs to the Ao Naga community.{{sfn|Bhaumik|2014}} She attended school in Jorhat and Kohima, Nagaland. She obtained an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Hindu College, Delhi, followed by a master's degree from Delhi University.{{sfn|Raimedhi|2014|page=19}}
Changkija married Bendangtoshi Longkumer, who was attached to the Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Nagaland. They have two daughters.{{sfn|Raimedhi|2014|page=20}} Longkumer died in 2017 at the age of 57.<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 November 2017 |title=Bendangtoshi Longkumer passes away |url=https://nagalandpost.com/bendangtoshi-longkumer-passes-away/ |access-date=2 January 2026 |work=Nagaland Post}}</ref>
==Career== Changkija began her career as a journalist with the ''Nagaland Times'' in 1985. She wrote a column, "The State of Affairs", for the paper, and another titled "Of Roses and Thorns" for the weekly ''Ura Mail''. Both the papers were based in Dimapur.{{sfn|Raimedhi|2014|page=19}}
During the long-running insurgency in Nagaland, Changkija began to write poetry and short stories to protest the violence, and criticise the social conditions that led to the unrest. Changkija's writings put her in grave risk from the militants. Her editor at the ''Ura Mail'' was assassinated in 1992. Her poem ''Not be dead'' was written to honour his memory.{{sfn|Raimedhi|2014|page=20}}
Changkija founded the ''Nagaland Page'' in 1999. Focussing on issues affecting the state of Nagaland, she upset both the state government and the militants. An article published in her paper titled "State is a reality and sovereignty is a myth" led to demands from the terrorists that she disclose the author's name. When she refused, she was threatened with retribution.{{sfn|Pisharoty|2013}}
In 2004, bombing at Dimapur's Hong Kong market resulted in the deaths of dozens. Changkija's impassioned ''Child of Cain'' was printed soon after.{{sfn|Raimedhi|2014|page=20}}
Changkija's 2014 book ''Cogitating for a Better Deal'' was banned by the Ao Senden, an organisation that claimed to be a statutory apex judiciary body. They accused her of making false allegations against it. In particular, they objected to her statement that it was a non-governmental organisation rather than a mandated arbitrator in Ao tribal affairs.{{sfn|Bhaumik|2014}}
==Selected works== ===Poetry=== * ''Weapons of Words on Pages of Pain'', 1993. {{ISBN|9789380500508}} * {{cite book|title=Monsoon Mourning|publisher=Heritage Publishing House|location=Dimapur|date=2013}}
===Non-fiction=== * ''Cogitating for a Better Deal'', 2014. {{ISBN|9789380500614}}
==Awards== * Chameli Devi Jain Award for Outstanding Woman Mediaperson (2009){{sfn|''The Hindu''|2010}} * 30th FICCI Women Achiever of the Year 2013-2014 for Outstanding Contributions as a Journalist (2014){{sfn|''Nagaland Post''|2014}}
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
==Sources== * {{cite news |newspaper=The Hoot |first=Subir |last=Bhaumik |url=http://www.thehoot.org/free-speech/media-freedom/naga-editor-s-book-banned-by-tribal-body-7908 |date=21 November 2014 |title=Naga editor's book banned by tribal body}} * {{cite news|newspaper=Nagaland Post|url=http://www.nagalandpost.com/channelnews/state/StateNews.aspx?news=TkVXUzEwMDA1OTAxMQ%3D%3D|title=FICCI award for women achievers|date=30 April 2014|ref={{SfnRef|''Nagaland Post''|2014}}}}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} * {{cite book|first=Indrani |last=Raimedhi|title=My Half of the Sky: 12 Life Stories of Courage|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZRlBDwAAQBAJ|year=2014|publisher=SAGE Publishing India|isbn=978-93-5150-474-0|chapter=The Only Man: Monalisa Changkija}} * {{cite news|newspaper=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/the-yin-thing/nagalands-fiery-female-voice/article5079511.ece|title=Nagaland's fiery female voice|first=Sangeetha Barooah |last=Pisharoty|date=31 August 2013|access-date=3 June 2018}} * {{cite news|newspaper=The Hindu|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/Shoma-Monalisa-to-share-Chameli-Devi-award/article16000327.ece|title=Shoma, Monalisa to share Chameli Devi award|date=11 March 2010|access-date=3 June 2018|ref = {{SfnRef|''The Hindu''|2010}}}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Changkija, Monalisa}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Delhi University alumni Category:20th-century Indian poets Category:21st-century Indian poets Category:Indian women short story writers Category:20th-century Indian journalists Category:20th-century Indian women journalists Category:21st-century Indian journalists Category:21st-century Indian women journalists Category:Hindu College, Delhi alumni Category:People from Jorhat district Category:Poets from Assam Category:Women writers from Assam Category:21st-century Indian short story writers Category:Naga people Category:20th-century Indian women poets Category:21st-century Indian women poets