Vishü Rita Krocha
Kohima | May 10
In the smoky kitchens of rural Nagaland, the aroma of banana cake now carries a mother’s legacy—one slice at a time.
Dr Keneilhoulie Medom, who grew up in a modest, middle-class household, vividly remembered the warmth of his childhood kitchen and the resilience of his mother, who had turned baking into a lifeline. “She worked tirelessly to provide for us,” he recalled. “One of her many talents was baking banana cake. But it was more than just a hobby. It was how she fed us, paid our fees, and kept our home running.”
Today, as a medical officer with the Chief Minister’s Mobile Operation Theatre (CM-MOT), Dr Medom carries forward that legacy in the most unexpected of ways: by teaching rural women the art of baking banana cake using the same method his mother used, without a modern oven, relying instead on thick aluminium utensils commonly available in rural homes.
“The first time I saw piles of unsold bananas at a rural market, it struck me,” he said. “My mother would have turned that into an opportunity. That’s when I knew I had to teach these women what she taught me.”
Beyond its core objective of providing mobile surgical care, the CM-MOT project also included awareness campaigns and capacity building initiatives. Dr. Medom saw this as a chance to introduce simple, accessible skill-building modules aimed at empowering rural women, widows, and unemployed youth.
“These women took care of guest houses, managed homes, and raised children with little income,” he observed. “Teaching them a new skill—one that could potentially bring income—felt like the right thing to do.”
At training sessions held across villages in Kiphire and Pungro, young mothers gathered to learn the step-by-step process of baking banana cake with local ingredients. The technique, rooted in practicality and nostalgia, required no fancy appliances.
Dr Medom referred to the recipe as his “family secret.” It was the same one he and his siblings had used to bake alongside their mother, huddled around a fire, learning the intricacies of measuring, mixing, and waiting for the perfect rise.
“Her cakes were the talk of our neighbourhood,” he fondly recalled. “Even without an oven, she perfected the art using aluminium pots we got from Mizoram. We didn’t have much, but we had her.”
That memory now lives on in the hands of dozens of women learning to bake for their families or for small-scale sale. All they need is ripe bananas, sugar, flour, a bit of baking soda, and the will to learn.
“When the smell of the cake fills the air during these workshops, it takes me back. I see my mother in every proud smile, in every successful batch,” he shared.
Dr Medom sees the initiative not just as livelihood training, but as a tribute. “She would be proud,” he said quietly. “Not just because I became a doctor, but because I didn’t forget where we came from.”
“This Mother’s Day, I honour my mother’s love and sacrifice by sharing the gift she gave me. I hope it helps these women find hope and strength—one banana cake at a time,” he said.
Since its formal flag-off on January 26, the CM-MOT team had performed 369 surgeries across gynaecology, ENT, and orthopaedics, conducted 730 OPD cases, and completed over 300 dental procedures across the state.
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