18 Facts About Hamlet Bareh

Hamlet Bareh Ngapkynta was an Indian writer, historian and film director from the Northeast Indian state of Meghalaya.

Hamlet Bareh is known as the first person from the Khasi tribe, an indigenous ethnic group of the state, to secure a doctoral degree and as the maker of the first feature film in the Khasi language, Ka Synjuk Ri ki Laiphew Syiem.

Hamlet Bareh was the chairman of the executive committee of the Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh, and a recipient of the 2004 Meghalaya Day Award.

Hamlet Bareh was born in Jaiaw Lumsyntiew, a village in the Northeast Indian state of Meghalaya on 3 May 1931 to Besina Dkhar and Mondon Bareh, an educationist, as the youngest of their ten children.

Hamlet Bareh was brought up by his mother as his father died before he turned one and he did his schooling at Jaiaw Practising School, Khasi Jaintia National School and Shillong Boys' Government High School and did his graduate studies at St Edmund's College, Shillong.

When North Eastern Hill University was established in 1974, Hamlet Bareh was appointed as the Reader, with the responsibility of its continuing education as well as the adult education programmes.

Hamlet Bareh stayed at the university until his retirement in 1996, before which he served the institution as the founder Head and professor of its Centre for Creative Arts.

Hamlet Bareh died at Shillong on 24 July 2012, at the age of 81.

Hamlet Bareh's body was laid to rest in the Church of North India Cemetery in Shillong.

Hamlet Bareh is reported to have been active in the educational, literary and cultural fronts of the state of Meghalaya.

Hamlet Bareh served as the secretary of the North East India Christian Literature Board and was a member of the North East Council.

Hamlet Bareh was one of the founders of the Synod College, Shillong and was involved with spreading education in the remote areas of the state.

Hamlet Bareh was a member of the Indian Council of Historical Research, the Indian Institute of Public Administration, Delhi, Kamarupa Anusandhan Samiti, North Eastern Economic Association and the Sardar Patel Society, Delhi.

Hamlet Bareh was associated with the Sahitya Akademi and served as a member of its expert committee.

Hamlet Bareh was a member of the advisory boards of the State Council of Educational Research and Training, Delhi and the State department of Art and Culture.

Hamlet Bareh was the president of the Khasi Cultural Society and Khasi Jaintia Welfare Association and when the Society produced a feature film, Ka Synjuk Ri Ki Laiphew Syiem, he was selected to direct the film.

Besides many articles, Hamlet Bareh published several books, reported to be over 50, which included The Art History of Meghalaya, William Carey in a new perspective, A Short History of Khasi Literature, The Language and Literature of Meghalaya, The History and Culture of the Khasi People and The Church of England.

Hamlet Bareh wrote two books, Progress of Education in Meghalaya, and The Distinguished Educationalists of Meghalaya Past and Present, on the education in Meghalaya and an eight-volume encyclopedia, Encyclopaedia of North-east India.