Women’s collective resistance formed an important, though often under-recognised, part of anti-colonial movements in British India. Within this wider history of women’s resistance, the experience of Manipuri women is unique, as their participation in resistance was not confined to the spaces of formal nationalist politics but emerged directly from their social and economic roles. Following the Anglo-Manipur War of 1891, British colonial rule brought significant changes to the political authority, economic practices, and social life of Manipur. Changes in labour and trade practices created tensions in everyday community life, with women particularly affected because of their central role in household economies and local economic activities. Their strong public presence enabled them to organise collectively when colonial policies and economic practices threatened their livelihood and social interests. It was within this setting that the Nupi Lan movements of 1904 and 1939 emerged. Based on secondary materials, this study examines the causes of the two movements, the responses of the colonial administration, and their historical impact. It argues that the Nupi Lan movements were not isolated episodes of protest but important expressions of women’s collective resistance that challenged colonial authority and contributed to the development of women’s political agency in Manipur.