Lomte Ete Riba was well-known among a number of other Arunachal Pradesh-based organizations that supported women’s rights.
Arunachal Pradesh was in mourning following the stroke death of well-known women’s rights campaigner Lomte Ete Riba in Naharlagun on November 14, 2023. She has devoted her life to the advancement of women and is renowned for her unwavering efforts in bringing justice to wronged women and girls.
Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu mourned the death of Lomte Ete Riba on X (formerly known as Twitter). He wrote, “Saddened by passing away of women rights activist, Smt Lomte Ete Riba. An ex-member of Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women and founder General Secy of Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society, Smt Riba had made significant contributions to empowerment of women. Her contributions to fighting social evils shall always be remembered with profound respect. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved family and her followers. Om Shanti🙏(sic).”
Saddened by passing away of women rights activist, Smt Lomte Ete Riba.
An ex-member of Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women and founder General Secy of Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society, Smt Riba had made significant contributions to empowerment of women.
Her… pic.twitter.com/z4GdpyqTdR
— Pema Khandu པདྨ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་། (@PemaKhanduBJP) November 15, 2023
Who is Lomte Ete Riba, Arunachali Women Rights Activist
Lomte Ete Riba was born in 1953 to Menlom Ete and Kengam Jini in the Kugi village in the West Siang region. After completing her education at the Government Secondary School in Aalo, Riba continued her studies at Pilani and Vanasthali. Lomte Ete tied the wedding knot in 1969 with Jikom Riba. She was able to visit several locations in Northeast India through her husband’s employment with the NEFA (North-East Frontier Agency) administration.
Lomte Ete Riba had a strong desire to work for the emancipation and uplift of women in Arunachal, where women had very few rights, freedoms, and equality in comparison to men, after her rich experiences in Shillong and her exposure to different cultures while studying in Pilani and Vanastali, Rajasthan.
Lomte Ete Riba was also involved in the founding of the Morning Glory School in Barapani, where she served as the institution’s chairman from 2006 until 2011. She also served as the Vidyasagar Academy, Naharlagun, chairwoman.
Lomte Ete Riba Works For Women’s Rights And How
From 2005 to 2008, Lomte Ete Riba was among the first members of the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW). She is also recognized for founding the first women’s cooperative organization in the State of Naharlagun in 1976. This society gave oppressed women in Naharlagun and the surrounding districts subsidized food and other incidental necessities. From 1977 to 2018, she presided over this organization.
As a member of the Mahila Imdad Committee campus, she also succeeded in getting the government to recognize the campus and prevented an eviction campaign on her own. Riba was an expert in handling a variety of matrimonial disputes in addition to offering domestic and marital therapy.
Lomte Ete Riba was motivated by the independence, equality, and liberties that women in Meghalaya experienced when she was there, especially those of the Khasi tribe, whose matrilineal society predominated.