->Chhandama at 03:53, 31 October 2021

2021-10-31T03:53:56Z

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{{Short description|Chief Minister of Mizoram (11 June 1927 – 7 July 1990)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Laldenga
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1927|6|11|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Pukpui]], [[Assam]], [[British India]] (now [[Mizoram]], [[India]])
| death_date = {{death date and age|1990|7|7|1927|6|11|df=y}}
| death_place = [[London]], [[United Kingdom]]
| death_cause = [[Lung cancer]]
| resting_place = Treasury Square, [[Aizawl]]
| resting_place_coordinates =
| residence =
| nationality = Indian
| other_names =
| known_for = Leader of [[Mizo National Front|MNF]]<br>First Chief Minister of Mizoram state
| education =
| employer =
| occupation = [[Politician]]
| home_town =
| title =
| salary =
| networth =
| height =
| weight =
| office = Chief Minister of Mizoram
| order = 4th
| 1blankname = Lieutenant Governor
| 1namedata = Hiteswar Saikia
| governor = H. S. Dubey <br> [[Hiteswar Saikia]]
| term_start = 21 August 1986
| term_end = 7 September 1988
| predecessor = [[Lalthanhawla]]
| successor = Lalthanhawla
| party = [[Mizo National Front]]
| boards =
| spouse = Lalbiakdiki
| partner =
| children =
| parents =
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}}
'''Laldenga''' (11 June 1927 – 7 July 1990) was a [[Mizo people|Mizo]] [[politician]] and the first [[Chief Minister]] of [[Mizoram]] state in [[northeast India]] from 1986 to 1988. He was the founder of the [[Mizo National Front]], a social organisation turned political party.

Originally a [[Havildar]] in the [[Indian Army]], Laldenga later worked as an Accounts Clerk in the [[Government of Assam]]. Disappointed by the government's indifference to the severe famine in the [[Mizo district]] in the late 1950s, he rebelled against the government. As a leader of the [[Mizo National Front]] (MNF), he led a [[secessionist]] war seeking Mizo territory's independence from [[India]]. He was captured many times, and spent most of his time in exile in [[Bangladesh]]. The [[guerrilla]] movement lasted for sixteen years till the [[Mizo Accord]] was signed in 1986, by which he became the Chief Minister of the new state of Mizoram. He won the first [[Mizoram Legislative Assembly]] election under statehood in 1987, and continued at the Chief Minister office for another year. He died of [[lung cancer]] in 1990.<ref>{{cite web|title=Laldenga Passes due to Lung Cancer|url=https://newyear2020s.com/happy-new-year-best-wishes-2021/|publisher=Time of India|accessdate=17 June 2011|date=11 March 2012}}</ref>

==Early years ==

Laldenga, the fourth child of a cultivator Liantlira Ralte and Darchhungi Hnamte, was born on 11 June 1927 in village Pukpui in the Mizo district of Assam (now in the [[Lunglei district]] of Mizoram). He joined the Indian Army and served up to [[Havildar]]. He resigned from the army and joined civil service as Accounts Supervisor under District Council office in [[Aizawl]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pachuau |first1=Joy |title=The Camera as a Witness |date=13 April 2015 |publisher=Cambridge |isbn=9781107073395 |pages=302}}</ref>

==Secessionist movements==
Laldenga joined a voluntary organisation called Mizo Cultural Society, formed in 1955, as its Secretary. The society became Mautam Front in March 1960 to work for relief due to the [[Mautam]] famine that affected the entire Mizoram (which was then a district council of Assam). The government could not make efficient effort to provide basic survival needs, and this prompted the need for more powerful pressure group. The organisation was then renamed Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF) in September 1960. This soon evolved into a political organisation and ultimately became the Mizo National Front (MNF) on 22 October 1961. Laldenga took the support from [[Pakistan]] for the separatist movement and was arrested and jailed by Indian authorities. As an outcome of his talks, between 1963 and 1966 East Pakistan provided military training and shelter to Mizo fighters when they needed exile.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pachuau |first1=Joy |title=The Camera as a Witness |date=13 April 2015 |publisher=Cambridge |isbn=9781107073395 |pages=323}}</ref>

On the night of 28 February 1966, the MNF launched an daring and ambitious attack on the district's major towns, resulting in the [[March 1966 Mizo National Front uprising]]. It declared independence and called on the [[Mizo people|Mizos]] to rise against India. The Indian Government responded by sending troops and aircraft on bombing missions. Villagers were uprooted from the hills and sent without their consent to Regrouped Villages built along the highways. For the next 20 years, violence continued in the Mizo hills with the fighters camping in Mizoram (India) and [[East Pakistan]]. With the fall of East Pakistan in 1971, Laldenga's men scattered to [[Myanmar]] while he moved to Pakistan. After secret meetings in Europe with Indian officials, he returned seeking a peaceful resolution of the problem.<ref name=nic>{{cite web|title=About Mizoram - History|url=http://www.mizoram.nic.in/about/history.htm|publisher=National Informatics Centre, Mizoram State Centre|accessdate=19 January 2014}}</ref>

During his guerrilla life, Laldenga was arrested on several occasions and spent 10 years in exile, mostly in Bangladesh and [[Pakistan]].<ref name=nyt>{{cite web|title=Laldenga, Tribal Leader in India, 53|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/08/obituaries/laldenga-tribal-leader-in-india-53.html|work=The New York Times|accessdate=19 January 2014|date=8 July 1990}}</ref>

==Peace Accord and last days==

When [[Rajiv Gandhi]] became the [[Prime Minister of India]] in 1984, it encouraged a new wave of negotiation. Laldenga met him on 15 February 1985, and peace settlement was on its way. On 30 June 1986 the official document entitled ''Mizoram Accord, 1986, Memorandum of Settlement'' was then signed by Ladenga, [[R. D. Pradhan]], Home Secretary, and Lalkhama, Chief secretary.

Ladenga became an interim Chief Minister, as the sitting Chief Minister [[Lalthanhawla]] stepped down to Deputy Chief Minister. Under the terms of the accord, Mizoram was granted statehood in February 1987. Laldenga and his party MNF won the first elections to the state legislature. However, defections toppled him from office in 1988.<ref>{{cite book|last=Chatterjee S|title='Making Of Mizoram|year=1994|publisher=Md Publications Pvt Ltd, India|isbn=978-81-85880-38-9|pages=320–324}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Nunthara|first=C.|title=Mizoram : Society and Polity|year=1996|publisher=Indus Publ. Co.|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-7387-059-0|pages=290–293|edition=1. publ.}}</ref>

He never rose to political arena again due to chronic lung cancer. After he got medical treatments in [[New Delhi]] and [[New York City]], he headed for London. Just after landing on airport, he died on the way to hospital on 7 July 1990.<ref name=nyt/> He was honoured with the first [[state funeral]] in Mizoram, and buried at the centre of [[Aizawl]] city.<ref>{{cite web |author= |title= MNF-in Laldenga thih champha hmang |language=Mizo |trans-title=MNF commemorates death anniversary of Ladenga|date= 9 July 2013|url= http://www.vanglaini.org/tualchhung/5445| work=Vanglaini |accessdate=19 September 2013}}</ref>

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==

*Suhas Chatterjee (1994). ''Making of Mizoram: Role of Laldenga''. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi. {{ISBN|8185880387}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150924042434/http://www.india-today.com/itoday/millennium/100people/laldenga.html Feature on Laldenga in ''India Today'']
*[http://www.misual.com/2012/05/06/laldenga-vrs-a-z-phizo/ Photos of Laldenga's grave]

{{Chief Ministers of Mizoram}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laldenga}}
[[Category:1930s births]]
[[Category:1990 deaths]]
[[Category:Mizo people]]
[[Category:Chief Ministers of Mizoram]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in India]]
[[Category:Deaths from lung cancer]]
[[Category:People from Lunglei district]]
[[Category:Indian expatriates in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indian expatriates in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Mizo National Front politicians]]

Laldenga - Revision history

->Chhandama at 03:53, 31 October 2021