Calls for collective responsibility, citing gaps during COVID-19 and recent Indo-Pak tension
The Naga Students’ Union Punjab (NSUP) has issued an urgent advisory calling upon all Nagas residing in Punjab to register with the Union without delay. The appeal comes in the wake of challenges faced during the recent India-Pakistan escalation, which hindered the Union’s efforts to assist unregistered individuals during evacuation and emergency coordination.
In a press release, the NSUP highlighted the pressing need to maintain a robust and up-to-date database of Nagas living in Punjab. “We humbly but firmly urge every Naga whether you are a student pursuing higher studies, a working professional, living here with family, or even on a short-term work-related stay, to register with the Union,” it said.
The registration drive is open to all Nagas living in Punjab—students, working professionals, families, or individuals on short-term assignments. NSUP emphasized that this is “not a mere formality but a vital step that carries weight far beyond numbers,” asserting that such data is crucial for community safety, identity preservation, and swift responses in times of distress.
“During times of emergency, be it the harrowing COVID-19 lockdown of 2020 or the more recent uncertainty during the India-Pakistan conflict escalation of April-May 2025, the absence of contact and identity details made it exceedingly difficult for us to locate and assist unregistered individuals which prevented outreach efforts on our part,” the NSUP said.
”These are not hypotheticals, but lived realities where some of our Naga brothers and sisters remained unreachable and unsupported simply because they were not registered,” it added.
The NSUP further said that registering with the Union is not a mere formality but a vital step that carries weight far beyond numbers, and maintaining an updated and comprehensive statistical record is a matter of collective safety, identity, and solidarity when living away from home.
The advisory also urged parents, guardians, elders, student bodies, and youth organisations in Nagaland to encourage their wards and community members headed to or residing in Punjab—or any other Indian city—to register with the respective Naga Students’ Unions. “It enables us all to respond swiftly, to ensure safety checks, to reach out during distress, and to represent responsibly when needed most,” the Union said.
At the same time, NSUP reminded the community that student unions exist “not only for times of crisis, but also for moments of togetherness, celebration, and shared support.”
For those seeking to register or learn more, NSUP has made its team accessible via the following contacts: President (8837469376), Vice President (9774276586), General Secretary (9863313014), and Statistical Secretary (8256927166). Online registration is available through their official Instagram (@nsu_punjab) and X (@NsupOfficial) accounts.
The advisory was issued by NSUP President Sensen Ilang and General Secretary Nitoli Shohe.
