By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 14: Mawkynrew MLA Banteidor Lyngdoh, on Saturday, felicitated 150 students from the constituency for scoring high marks and securing first division in their SSLC and HSSLC exams. Each student received a certificate and a cash prize. This was followed by a talent competition where participants from various villages, both young and old, took part.
Mawkynrew encompasses about 68 towns and villages, some of which are in remote areas, such as Rasong, where roads are still non-existent, requiring villagers to climb nearly 2,000 steps to reach Laitlum.
One standout participant was Sbunbha Kharumnuid, who is nearly 60 years old, a grandmother to several grandchildren, and full of zest for life. Known as Kong Sbun, she works as a hawker, selling local Khasi snacks like ‘putharo’ and ‘pukhlein’, along with locally grown garlic and vegetables that her husband cultivates in their small garden near their home. She recited a poem containing 17 verses, each with four lines, on various topics.
Kong Sbun has 11 children, one of whom is a nun with the St. Margaret Sisters, currently based in Sikkim.
A notable trait of Kong Sbun is her efficient use of time. When business slows down, she writes poetry, submitting her work to local vernacular newspapers that publish her poems weekly. She writes on topics ranging from life and the environment to traffic jams and everything she observes during her daily 9-10 hour shifts, except on Sundays
When asked how she finds time to write, Kong Sbun said, “I have missed many things in life, and I want to make up for that through poetry. It gives me satisfaction and helps me think critically, even while selling my goods to support my family.”
Local MLA, Banteidor Lyngdoh remarked, “Kong Sbun is a rare woman who believes in hard work and always wears a smile. She is truly an empowered woman.”
