The Foundation Day of VKIC, Guwahati was held on 31 January, 2011 (Monday) at 5.30 p.m. in the Williamson Magor Auditorium of the Institute in which the annual VKIC SANMAN was also awarded. 

Shri Dipok Kr. Barthakur, Chairman, VKIC delivered the Welcome address and Objectives of the programme. Shri Radhika Mohan Bhagawati, eminent Writer, Journalist & Editor, Dainik Asom who was the Chief Guest of the programme had conferred the VKIC SANMAN, 2011 on Kum. Aningiu Meriam, Vice President, Zeliangrong Mipui, Nagaland. The programme was attended by a capacity audience from all walks of life and concluded with a documentary drama on and by the Karbi Community. Headed by Sri Dhireswar Ronghang, Sonapur, Kamrup District, the one hour presentation enthralled the audience.

Speaking on the the significance of the Foundation Day & the VKIC Sanmaan, Prof. Dinesh Chandra Baroowa,  Director, Research Council, VKIC said that VKIC has been organizing this programme since 1999 to honour an educated person who has made significant contribution to the society in the field of preservation, protection and advancement of traditional culture. This award consists of a Citation, a Plaque and Cash award of  Rs.10,000. 

In her acceptance speech the awardee Kum. Aningiu Meriam said, “With Rani Ma Gaidinliu as our torch bearer and source of inspiration, I have tried to work in this field individually and collectively but I do not consider myself worthy to be honoured in this way. However, I have just obeyed the advice of adhikaris as a lieutenant of Zeliangrong Heraka Association and Kalyan Ashram. I feel the award given to me or honour bestowed upon me is the recognition of the work what Zeliangrong Heraka Association, Zeliangrong Heraka palei Baudi, Zeliangrong Heraka Youth Organization and Janjati Vikas Samiti ( Kalyan Ashram) Nagaland have collectively done in the most volatile and disturbed situation in Nagaland. This award is also the honour to all such workers who are involved in course of sustaining the socio-cultural fabric of Zeliangrong Naga Community”. Further speaking on the secessionist aspirations in Nagaland she opined that majority of Nagas honour the Constitution of Bharatvarsh. They wish to live within India. Those who advocate secession from Bharatvarsh are a microscopic minority. But, since this handful people from Naga society are holding sophisticated lethal weapons and they do not honour civil liberties and human rights, the righteous people fear them. Lamenting the Naga people’s involvement in anti-British war of the Indians Kum. Aningiu Meriam said the situation is changed today and people of Nagaland aspire to work and grow hand in hand with and within the rest of India. 

Conferring the VKIC Sanmaan, noted Writer, Journalist & Editor, Dainik Asom, Sri Radhika Mohan Bhagawati said that he considers VKIC as an institution of excellence that is working to serve the society and people through the inspiration of Swami Vivekananda. He appealed to the awardee Kum. Meriam to inspire and bring more people to the service of the nation. This could be done through efforts of preservation and protection of respective cultures of our big Indian society, he said. 

It is to be noted that of all the VKIC Sanmannis thus far, Meriam is the youngest and for her patriotic efforts to nurture the indigenous faith and culture of the Zeliangrong Naga Community she is given this Sanman. On that occasion Shri Radhika Mohan Bhagawati released the latest issue of VKIC’s research-based journal, Quest –India’s Freedom Movement – Role of the Northeast.