Lal Thanhawla

Lal Thanhawla (born 19 May 1942) is an Indian politician who has been the Chief Minister of Mizoram since 11 December 2008. Previously he was Chief Minister from 1984 to 1986 and from 1989 to 1998. He was elected to another term in the 2013 Mizoram Legislative Assembly election. This was the fifth time he was elected to the office of Chief Minister, which is a record in Mizoram. He belongs to the Indian National Congress. His electoral constituencies are Serchhip and Hrangturzo. He successfully contested the general elections nine times, in 1978, 1979, 1984, 1987, 1993, 2003, 2008, and 2013.

Lal Thanhawla is the son of Hmartawnphunga Sailo and Lalsawmliani Chawngthu. He completed matriculation in 1958. He passed his intermediate examination (higher secondary) in arts in 1961. Thereafter, he studied BA at Pachhunga University College (then Aijal College), which was then affiliated to Gauhati University. He graduated in 1964.

Lal Thanhawla started his career as Recorder in the office of Inspector of Schools under the Mizoram District Council, which was in turn under the Government of Assam. After that, he joined the Assam Co-operative Apex Bank as Assistant. In 1966, he joined the underground movement called Mizo National Front (MNF) as Foreign Secretary. He was captured and imprisoned at Silchar jail. He was released in 1967 and joined the Indian National Congress party. He was immediately appointed to the Chief Organiser of the Aizawl District Congress Committee. In 1973 he was elected President of the Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee, and continued to win the presidency in every election till date. In 1978 and 1979 he was elected as a Legislator in Union Territory Elections. In 1984, under his leadership, the Congress party swept the state and he became the Chief Minister. In 1986, when the Mizoram Peace Accord was signed between India and MNF, he stepped down from his office to make way for Pu Laldenga, the leader of MNF, to become the Chief Minister. This was part of the negotiation and settlement of the accord, and he was designated Deputy Chief Minister. Then Mizoram was declared a full state of India. In the first Mizoram Legislative Assembly election held in 1987, he was elected and after Laldenga was toppled through defections, became the Chief Minister in 1988. He continued the office after being re-elected in the 1989 and 1993 elections. In 1998 he lost the election, the only time since his political career started. He eventually reclaimed in the 2003 elections. Currently he is elected from both Serchhip and Hrangturzo constituencies.

In the 2013 Mizoram Assembly Elections, Thanhawla led the ruling Congress party to a victory winning 34 seats in the 40-member legislative assembly, two seats more than in the 2008 election. The major opposition party Mizo National Front (MNF) barely won five seats, while Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) won just one seat.

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Lal Thanhawla is an actively involved sports and voluntary services. Among his major contributions are as

• Founder President of Mizoram Football Association
• Founder President of Mizoram Sports Association
• Founder President of Mizoram Hockey Association
• Founder Secretary of Mizoram Boxing Association
• Founder Secretary of Aijal Amateur Athletic Club
• Founder President of Mizoram Olympic Association
• Former President of Indian Olympic Association
• Chairman of North East Olympic Commission
• Founder President of Mizoram Journalists Association
• Founder editor of Mizo Aw (a daily newspaper) and Remna Palai (INC party daily news)
• Founder of Young Mizo Association at Zarkawt
• Founder Secretary of Aizawl Dramatic & Cultural Society

In addition he had served as Secretary of Central Information Forum; Chairman of Literacy Committee, National Development Council of India; Member of the 9th Finance Commission of India; and Member of the Shillong Club Ltd. and Country Club of India.

• National Citizen Award in 1994
• Mother Teresa Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009
• Lalthanhawla Higher Secondary School, established in 2011 at Serchhip was named in his honour
• Lifetime Achievement Award from the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) in 2014.
• A sport complex at Pitarte Tlang, Republic Vengthlang, Aizawl, was inaugurated in 2012 as Hawla Indoor Stadium.
• A public hall at Treasury Square, Aizawl, was inaugurated in 2015 as "Lal Thanhawla Auditorium".

• "Lal Thanhawla inaugurates BNRGSK Block Hqrs building in Serchhip". NE Calling. 23 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2014. 
• "Hming chawi chhan tlak ka awm lo: Lal Thanhawla" [I am not worthy of the honour: Lal Thanhawla]. Zothlifim (in Mizo). 22 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2014. 
• "Award for Mizoram CM". The Assam Tribune. 3 December 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2016. 
• "Hawla Indoor Stadium". Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Mizoram. Retrieved 8 April 2015. 
• "Zira'n Lal Thanhawla Auditorium a hawng" [Zira inaugurates Lal Thanhawla Auditorium]. Vanglaini (in Mizo). 13 January 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2016.