REMEMBERING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF PU THANGKHANGIN NGAIHTE: CHAMPION OF ZO PEOPLE RE-UNIFICATION.
Born in Mualpheng village on March 1, 1952, five years after India attained independence, Pu S. Thangkhangin Ngaihte lived through fast-track political developments and changes that deeply impacted the Zo people. The Zo country, which until decades before was not rigidly defined by modern state boundaries, now constitutes parts of Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh. Many do not even realize then that they have been politically and territorially partitioned across the three sovereign countries by the colonial administration, until those political divisions prevented the Zo people from even maintaining familial, ethnic, and cultural ties as they did in the past. This colonial blunder of segregating the Zo people informed Pu Gin's life mission of Zo empowerment, solidarity, and integration, which he dedicated himself to throughout his life.
An Academic Trailblazer
Scholarly study of Zo history and culture was where he started his venture. Pu Gin was a pioneer in academics among the Zo people. He graduated and also completed his postgraduate studies in Shillong from North Eastern Hill University (NEHU). His M.Phil. dissertation, titled History of Zomis of Mizoram and the Surrounding Areas: Aspect of Pre-Colonial Social Reformation, submitted in 1979 at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), was one of the most celebrated research components among Zo academic and intellectual circles, which to this day served as foundational literature for the Zo people’s movement for political autonomy. He left his doctoral studies on Colonial Indirect Rule: A Case Study of British Administration in the Chin-Lushai Country, when only his viva voce examination (final oral examination) was due, as he responded to the more urgent call of duty towards the cause of the Zo people. His in-depth and extensive research on Zo history and the impact of colonialism on the Zo people has been particularly evident in his later written contributions and his engagement in Zo socio-political organizations.
His more notable leadership, which is poignant to this day, included his tenure at the Zo Re-unification Organization (ZoRO), an organization that works towards the promotion of solidarity and integration among the Zo people, where he was the founder secretary general. He was also active as general secretary and president in successive terms in the ZNC, which demanded a unified administration under the Constitution of India for the Zo people. They sent successive representations to New Delhi to pursue the same. He was also actively in touch with political leaders in Mizoram. Today, the ZNC spirit is well alive in the Myanmar side of the border.
Till today, Pu Gin’s dream of re-uniting the Zo ethnic tribes has remained a distant dream, although not unattainable. He was one such individual, not bound by superficial ethnic categorization. This was evident during his tenure as an important executive at both the Kuki Inpi and the Zomi Council. He was Vice President of the Kuki Inpi Manipur in 1995, and Secretary of the Zomi Council in 1998. True to this ideal, Pu Gin was a pivotal peacemaker in the Kuki-Zomi Conflict in 1998. He was also the recipient of several awards, both international and national. He also wrote several poems and songs, including Tunnu Zougam Vang Hi, which reflected his dedication and love for his people and land. In recognition of his unparalleled contribution towards building Zo solidarity, he was awarded the Zomi National Freedom Award by the Zomi Innkuan USA in 2016.
As an ardent advocate of the upliftment of marginalized communities in India, Pu Gin was also actively involved in democratic and electoral politics. He has been the Lok Janshakti Party State president since 2005. He was also convenor of the North East Coordination Committee and member of Central Parliament Board of the party. He also served as a member of the Dalit and Minorities International Forum and the Northeast Students’ Organisation. Although he was not elected, he had also stood as a candidate in the State legislature and Lok Sabha elections.
Today, as we grieve the passing of Pu Gin and lay his mortal remains to rest in the hills that he lovingly called ‘Home’, and amidst the ongoing ethnic violence directed towards his beloved people, we remember that there was a man, born in the pristine hills of Zoland, whose dream was to restore dignity to the Zo people. Actualizing the dream of Pu Gin will be the highest regard that we, the Zomi, Kuki, and Mizo, can give. His legacy as a tireless advocate of Zo empowerment, solidarity, and integration will continue to inspire and encourage generations to come.
It is with profound sorrow that we, the Fieldnotes team mourn the loss of our visionary leader Pu Sona Thangkhangin Ngaihte, who is survived by his wife Pi Ngaikhoman and 5 Children. His memory will forever be etched in our hearts, his name, a timeless echo in the Zo hills and valleys; where he once walked.
His Leadership and Zo People’s Unification
Pu Gin was also a born leader, having displayed numerous leadership capacities at the student level. Taking note of his calibre and acumen early on, his friend and later colleague in the Zomi National Congress (ZNC), Pu Gougin Tungnung noted:
Enthusiastic young scholars like Mr. S Thangkhangin who was doing his Ph.D in Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi spearheaded the Zomi Unification movement amongst his University environment. The spirit of Zomi Unification thus acted upon University Students. Accordingly, the “All Zomi Students Association” sprang up in Delhi first headed by Mr. S Thangkhangin followed by Mr. Holkholun Tungdim and Mr. R Buhril.
The organizations in which Pu Gin invested his time and energy are always predicated upon one ideal: empowerment, solidarity, and integration of Zo people.
An Indelible Legacy
Regarding his commitment to his people, one of his sons recollected at a public condolence gathering in New Delhi on July 28, 2024, ‘...because my father was highly involved in the affairs of his people, there were often times when we, his family, did not actually get his time.’ For many, ensuring domestic well-being and familial duties certainly take precedence above all else. However, for a visionary like Pu Gin the burden of his people was too great. His devotion involved making meaningful yet painful sacrifices — even of his own benefit, well-being, or wealth, for a greater cause. His unflinching contributions have led to a new understanding of the Zo people as a nation, instilling a profound sense of Zo solidarity, and paving the way for discussions on territoriality, boundaries, identity, and autonomy — ideas that will outlive the best of us; ideas that will bear fruit one day for all of us. He had indeed lived a life devoted to a noble cause, beyond quantifiable measures.
