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Life And Career Of Pu Zoramthanga
Childhood : Pu Zoramthanga was born to Pu Darphunga and Pi Vanhnuaichhingi to be the second youngest child of their eight children. He has five brothers and three sisters. Unfortunately, one of his sisters died while she was still an infant. Five of the brothers and two sisters live to see adulthood. Pu Zoramthanga was born on July 13, 1944 at Samthang village coincidentally, this was the day Pu Laldenga was laid to rest.
Childhood :
Pu Zoramthanga was born to Pu Darphunga and Pi Vanhnuaichhingi to be the second youngest child of their eight children. He has five brothers and three sisters. Unfortunately, one of his sisters died while she was still an infant. Five of the brothers and two sisters live to see adulthood. Pu Zoramthanga was born on July 13, 1944 at Samthang village coincidentally, this was the day Pu Laldenga was laid to rest.
His early Education : He joined primary School in the year 1950. Being a brilliant student, he always stood first in his class in every examinations. For this outstanding academic achievement, his teacher Pu Vanlalbela rewarded him by way of hastening his promotions. Thus, surpassing his classmates, he passed out from primary school (class III) from Samthang at an young age in 1953. In 1954, he joined middle school at South Khawbung and finished at the school in 1956 after he passed standard six. In 1957, he went on to join Champhai Gandhi Memorial High School as a student of standard seven.
During 1954, when he was compelled by circumstances to join middle school in a neighboring village, he was very hesitant as he was then still very young and non of his friends from his village were there to keep company. He often cried and sometimes even played truant. Sympathizing with him, many of his near and dear ones were at times for discontinuing his schooling. However, his parents, though only rustic villager, yet much advanced to their time in thoughts, fully understood the value of education. Playing with is emotions and by consoling him in every way, they succeeded in luring him back to school. Education is for his own good in future, being the chorus of his parents. To this day, Pu Zoramthanga gratefully acknowledge; " I could only but wonder at the marvelous path that God has laid for me right from the beginning of may life ". The road to Khawbung from Samthang was a a good five miles, and to add to that, it was all along dense forests and may tigers were prowling in the jungle. Pu Zoramthanga recalled how, as a ten year old boy, he was often struck with fear when he sometimes had to walk to school all alone.
He finished his high school at Champhai from Samthang village, and in 1960 his family shifted to Champhai. It was in 1961 that he passed his matriculation, but he could not join college as the family was too poor to finance his further education. He was invited to work as headmaster in the then newly established Champhai Vengthlang Middle School. He was then only a teenager, seventeen and half years old. He recalled how he used to feel a little embarrass and shy when he thought of his age. There may not be many who have the privilege of working as a Headmaster at his young age.
His College Education : Being strongly determined to resumed his education, he went on, against all odds, to join college in the middle of 1963. He got admitted in PUC class in the Imphal D.M. College, a college then known to be the refuge of poor students. To quote his own words: " During my college days I worked in a stone quarry, chiseling and carrying loads of boulders. To be precise, I chiseled my way to graduation. I think I earned enough to support myself then". He was a student of English subject and passed his BA honours in that subject. His ambition was to try his hands in the Civil Services (IAS) examinations.
He joined Politics : When Mizoram disturbance occurred in 1966, he joined the underground movement and took to the jungle, leaving behind his main ambition. He was made Secretary, Run Bung Area, a responsibility he held for three years. When in 1969, all the MNF cadres went down to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), the President, Pu Laldenga engaged him as his Secretary. He held this job for seven long years.
During his tenure as Secretary to the President, Pu Laldenga always took him along in all his important engagements. He was accompanying him during the long trip to China. The Cabinet of the underground ministry sent him to pave way for peace negotiations with the Indian government in 1971. This came out to be the maiden official peace talks ever had with the Indian government. When East Pakistan fell and Bangladesh nation was borned; he, along with Pu Laldenga and his family, including all his personal staff, succeeded in a tough escape bid to Karachi, crossing the dense jungle of Arakan and through Akyab and Rangoon. They disguised themselves as refugees from East Pakistan. In Pakistan, they were accorded the status of official guests and cooled down their heels in Islamabad from 1972 to 1976.
While in Islamabad, Pu Laldenga sent him in yet another mission to foreign countries to seek channels for continuing the peace negotiations with the Indian government. Along with Pu Tawnluia, presently Home Minister of Mizoram, went abroad many times to accomplish this mission. After strucking many peace talks with the Indian delegates in countries like Thailand, Afghanishtan, Iran, Switzerland, Germany and in Rome city, he brought Pu Laldenga and party out to Geneva in 1975. From Geneva, successful deal could be made for the safe entry of Pu Laldenga to Delhi. Subsequently, upon their arrival in Delhi in 1976, they were engaged in peace talks in the full glare of the world. In all these peace talks, Pu Zoramthanga participated and was the key initiator. However, when in 1979, the Indian government held them captives in Delhi, along with Pu Laldenga and Pu Tawnluia, he along with Pu Tawnluia made good their escape to the jungle of their Arakan Headquarters where he held the responsibility of the Vice President. In his capacity as the Vice-President, he shouldered the tough responsibility of keeping his cadres in good humor. Literally, it could be said that he single-handedly succeeded in rebuilding and rejuvenating the Headquarters from the state to which it had fallen. Since then, he never ventured out to Delhi till the peace accord was concluded.
He is a pious man, who put all his trusts in God; this enable him to draw divine strength in the face of adversities. He achieved the seemingly impossible task, which even the Indian government failed to belief, of bringing home every one of his men with all their armaments. "That was the most challenging and difficult task that I had ever faced in my life" he admits. Unfortunately, he could not accompany his men into Aizawl due to illness and had to halt at Lunglei. Perhaps, one of the saddest things that had ever happened to him must have been not being able to walked in to Aizawl town along with his men, unto the welcome light of peace at the end of twenty long years of disturbance.
He was made a Minister in the interim government of the state that followed. When the Mizo National Front formed the government in 1987 under the leadership of Pu Laldenga, he looked after Finance and Education departments and continued to be the trusted lieutenant of Pu Laldenga. In 1990, when Pu Laldenga died, he become the President of the Mizo National Front. Though he sometimes went through difficult times, he has since continue to be the President of the MNF to this day. Another remarkable achievement he has made in his political career is the fact that he had never lose an election, and he has been returned to the Mizoram Legislative Assembly from Champhai constituency for four consecutive terms. When the assembly elections was held at the end of 1998, he led his party to victory and become the fifth Chief Minister of Mizoram.
The path that Pu Zoramthanga has walked in his life is justifying worth pondering for others too. One could not help but struck with awe when one considers how God has consecrated him to be an instrument of fulfilling His plans for the good of Mizoram. He called him out in a seemingly most inopportune time yet that turns out to be just the right time and God has guided him into the road that Pu Zoramthanga himself would never had dream of. As he himself had often state : " Let us all know that towards this fag-end of time, we have a Chief Minister in him, who would herald to the world that upon Mizoram has God entrusted the mission of spreading the Gospel".
Pu Zoramthanga tied the nuptial knot on February 2, 1988 at Dawrpui Presbyterian Church, with Roneihsangi, the second youngest daughter of Pu R.L. Rohlira of Ramhlun. He has been blessed with a son, Ramthansiama and a daughter, Milari. The name MILARI itself is coined by abbreviating Mizoram, `Lalpa Remruat leh Kei` which may literally means Mizoram, God`s Will and Me
Bureau Report
His early Education : He joined primary School in the year 1950. Being a brilliant student, he always stood first in his class in every examinations. For this outstanding academic achievement, his teacher Pu Vanlalbela rewarded him by way of hastening his promotions. Thus, surpassing his classmates, he passed out from primary school (class III) from Samthang at an young age in 1953. In 1954, he joined middle school at South Khawbung and finished at the school in 1956 after he passed standard six. In 1957, he went on to join Champhai Gandhi Memorial High School as a student of standard seven.
During 1954, when he was compelled by circumstances to join middle school in a neighboring village, he was very hesitant as he was then still very young and non of his friends from his village were there to keep company. He often cried and sometimes even played truant. Sympathizing with him, many of his near and dear ones were at times for discontinuing his schooling. However, his parents, though only rustic villager, yet much advanced to their time in thoughts, fully understood the value of education. Playing with is emotions and by consoling him in every way, they succeeded in luring him back to school. Education is for his own good in future, being the chorus of his parents. To this day, Pu Zoramthanga gratefully acknowledge; " I could only but wonder at the marvelous path that God has laid for me right from the beginning of may life ". The road to Khawbung from Samthang was a a good five miles, and to add to that, it was all along dense forests and may tigers were prowling in the jungle. Pu Zoramthanga recalled how, as a ten year old boy, he was often struck with fear when he sometimes had to walk to school all alone.
He finished his high school at Champhai from Samthang village, and in 1960 his family shifted to Champhai. It was in 1961 that he passed his matriculation, but he could not join college as the family was too poor to finance his further education. He was invited to work as headmaster in the then newly established Champhai Vengthlang Middle School. He was then only a teenager, seventeen and half years old. He recalled how he used to feel a little embarrass and shy when he thought of his age. There may not be many who have the privilege of working as a Headmaster at his young age.
His College Education : Being strongly determined to resumed his education, he went on, against all odds, to join college in the middle of 1963. He got admitted in PUC class in the Imphal D.M. College, a college then known to be the refuge of poor students. To quote his own words: " During my college days I worked in a stone quarry, chiseling and carrying loads of boulders. To be precise, I chiseled my way to graduation. I think I earned enough to support myself then". He was a student of English subject and passed his BA honours in that subject. His ambition was to try his hands in the Civil Services (IAS) examinations.
He joined Politics : When Mizoram disturbance occurred in 1966, he joined the underground movement and took to the jungle, leaving behind his main ambition. He was made Secretary, Run Bung Area, a responsibility he held for three years. When in 1969, all the MNF cadres went down to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), the President, Pu Laldenga engaged him as his Secretary. He held this job for seven long years.
During his tenure as Secretary to the President, Pu Laldenga always took him along in all his important engagements. He was accompanying him during the long trip to China. The Cabinet of the underground ministry sent him to pave way for peace negotiations with the Indian government in 1971. This came out to be the maiden official peace talks ever had with the Indian government. When East Pakistan fell and Bangladesh nation was borned; he, along with Pu Laldenga and his family, including all his personal staff, succeeded in a tough escape bid to Karachi, crossing the dense jungle of Arakan and through Akyab and Rangoon. They disguised themselves as refugees from East Pakistan. In Pakistan, they were accorded the status of official guests and cooled down their heels in Islamabad from 1972 to 1976.
While in Islamabad, Pu Laldenga sent him in yet another mission to foreign countries to seek channels for continuing the peace negotiations with the Indian government. Along with Pu Tawnluia, presently Home Minister of Mizoram, went abroad many times to accomplish this mission. After strucking many peace talks with the Indian delegates in countries like Thailand, Afghanishtan, Iran, Switzerland, Germany and in Rome city, he brought Pu Laldenga and party out to Geneva in 1975. From Geneva, successful deal could be made for the safe entry of Pu Laldenga to Delhi. Subsequently, upon their arrival in Delhi in 1976, they were engaged in peace talks in the full glare of the world. In all these peace talks, Pu Zoramthanga participated and was the key initiator. However, when in 1979, the Indian government held them captives in Delhi, along with Pu Laldenga and Pu Tawnluia, he along with Pu Tawnluia made good their escape to the jungle of their Arakan Headquarters where he held the responsibility of the Vice President. In his capacity as the Vice-President, he shouldered the tough responsibility of keeping his cadres in good humor. Literally, it could be said that he single-handedly succeeded in rebuilding and rejuvenating the Headquarters from the state to which it had fallen. Since then, he never ventured out to Delhi till the peace accord was concluded.
He is a pious man, who put all his trusts in God; this enable him to draw divine strength in the face of adversities. He achieved the seemingly impossible task, which even the Indian government failed to belief, of bringing home every one of his men with all their armaments. "That was the most challenging and difficult task that I had ever faced in my life" he admits. Unfortunately, he could not accompany his men into Aizawl due to illness and had to halt at Lunglei. Perhaps, one of the saddest things that had ever happened to him must have been not being able to walked in to Aizawl town along with his men, unto the welcome light of peace at the end of twenty long years of disturbance.
He was made a Minister in the interim government of the state that followed. When the Mizo National Front formed the government in 1987 under the leadership of Pu Laldenga, he looked after Finance and Education departments and continued to be the trusted lieutenant of Pu Laldenga. In 1990, when Pu Laldenga died, he become the President of the Mizo National Front. Though he sometimes went through difficult times, he has since continue to be the President of the MNF to this day. Another remarkable achievement he has made in his political career is the fact that he had never lose an election, and he has been returned to the Mizoram Legislative Assembly from Champhai constituency for four consecutive terms. When the assembly elections was held at the end of 1998, he led his party to victory and become the fifth Chief Minister of Mizoram.
The path that Pu Zoramthanga has walked in his life is justifying worth pondering for others too. One could not help but struck with awe when one considers how God has consecrated him to be an instrument of fulfilling His plans for the good of Mizoram. He called him out in a seemingly most inopportune time yet that turns out to be just the right time and God has guided him into the road that Pu Zoramthanga himself would never had dream of. As he himself had often state : " Let us all know that towards this fag-end of time, we have a Chief Minister in him, who would herald to the world that upon Mizoram has God entrusted the mission of spreading the Gospel".
Pu Zoramthanga tied the nuptial knot on February 2, 1988 at Dawrpui Presbyterian Church, with Roneihsangi, the second youngest daughter of Pu R.L. Rohlira of Ramhlun. He has been blessed with a son, Ramthansiama and a daughter, Milari. The name MILARI itself is coined by abbreviating Mizoram, `Lalpa Remruat leh Kei` which may literally means Mizoram, God`s Will and Me
Bureau Report