Every other day we have an inspiring story of IAS or IPS aspirants who, with great determination and hard work, have accomplished their goals. Today, let us take a look at an inspiring story about IAS officer Armstrong Pame, who is popularly known as the Miracle Man of Manipur. He made it to headlines after he got a 100 km stretch of road constructed in the state in 2012, without any financial help or service aid from the state government. Armstrong Pame is a native of Impa village located in the Tousem Subdivision of Manipur’s Tamenglong district, Manipur. He did his schooling at United Builders School in Manipur. He completed his higher studies at St Edmund’s College in Shillong. Armstrong then studied BA in Physics from St Stephen’s College, Delhi and graduated in 2005. He then went ahead to fulfil his long-cherished dream of becoming an IAS officer. Armstrong Pame cleared the UPSC in his first attempt in 2007 but got a position in the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) in the custom and Central Excise department. He again appeared for the exam and attained the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) post. He was appointed as Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Tousen in 2012.

During his tenure, he constructed a 100 km road connecting Manipur to Nagaland and Assam in a remote and underdeveloped area of the Manipur hills, without any assistance from the government. He constructed the road by crowdfunding through social media and funds provided by businesses and local leaders. He managed to raise above Rs 50 lakh, which was enough to build the road. The construction of the road was completed in 2014.

The road is aptly named the People’s Road, as it gave joy to the people of Tousem, providing them with a motorable route that connects other parts of the region.

Armstrong Pame is also the recipient of Padma Shri, Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award, India’s Distinguished IAS Officers Award and India’s Most Eminent IAS Officer Award.