Machihan Sasa
A master of Longpi black-stone pottery from Ukhrul who created new everyday wares and trained award-winning potters, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
Machihan Sasa is a master potter of Longpi Hampai, the black-stone pottery of the Tangkhul Naga village of Longpi in Manipur. He was named for the Padma Shri in 2024 in the field of art, from Manipur [1].
An ancient craft
He was born on 1 April 1950 in Longpi Kajui village, Ukhrul district [2]. His citation describes Longpi as a village where the craft has been practised since Neolithic times [2]. The pottery is made without a wheel from a paste of ground black serpentinite stone and a special brown clay [2].
He learned the craft from his father as a child [2]. Formal schooling was out of reach because of his family’s circumstances and the lack of schools nearby [2].
New wares
Sasa brought the craft into everyday use by designing new products such as tea sets, flower vases, kettles, bowls, mugs, plates, casseroles and kadai pans, which became popular well beyond Manipur [2]. He has trained many young people from the area; three of his trainees have won national awards and three state awards [2].
Honours
He won first prize at the All India Handicrafts Week in 1979, a state award in 1986, a national award in 1988 and the Shilp Guru award in 2008 [2].
Sources
- [1] Padma Awards 2024: list of awardees — Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Accessed 15 October 2026.
- [2] Padma Awards 2024: citation for Machihan Sasa — Padma Awards, Government of India. Accessed 15 October 2026.
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