LUNGLEI DISTRICT

Lunglei District, the biggest District in Mizoram is bounded on the nort h by Mamit and Serchhip Districts, on the south by Lawngtlai and Saiha Districts, on the east by Myanmar and on the west by Bangladesh. It has area of 4,538 Sq.kms with a population of 1,37,155 (2001 census) and 186 villages. There are three Civil Sub-Divisions namely – Lunglei Sadar Sub-Division, Tlabung and Hnahthial Civil Sub-Divisions. The District is also divided into four Rural Development Blocks – Lunglei, Hnahthial, Lungsen and Bunghmun.

The district is named after its headquarters, Lunglei. Lunglei, sometimes spelled Lungleh, in Mizo means a bridge of rock. It derived its name from a bridge like rock found in the riverine area around the Nghasih, a small tributary of the river Tlawng.

The district is bounded on the north by Mamit and Aizawl districts, on the west by Bangladesh, on the south by Lawngtlai district, on the southeast by Saiha district, on the east by Myanmar and on the northeast by Serchhip District. The district occupies an area of 4538 km². Lunglei town is the administrative headquarters of the district.

At A Glances

Name of the District       :        Lunglei

  Geographical Area         :        4536 sq km

  No. of Sub Division        :        3

  No. of RD Block               :        4

  No. of Notified Town   :        3

  Population        :        M-83789, F-79707

  Highest Peak (Puruntlang)         :        1758 Mt

  Lowest Elevation (Karnaphuli river)       :        20 Mt

  Longest River   :        82.79 Kms

Religions in Lunglei District       

Christians 78.75%

Buddhists 17.06%

Hindus 3.24%

Muslim 0.80%

Jains 0.06%

Not Stated 0.04%

Sikhs 0.02%

Divisions

The district has 3 Subdivision Hnahthial, Lunglei and Tlabung. The district has 7 assembly constituencies. These are South Tuipui, Lunglei North, Lunglei East, Lunglei West, Lunglei South, Thorang and West Tuipui.

According to the 2011 census Lunglei district has a population of 161,428, roughly equal to the nation of Saint Lucia.[2] This gives it a ranking of 597th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 36 inhabitants per square kilometre (93/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 17.64%. Lunglei has a sex ratio of 947 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 88.86%.

ORIGIN OF LUNGLEI ADMINISTRATION TO THE PRESENT DAY :The Lushai Military Expedition under the command of Capt. J.Shakespear reached Lunglei (then Lungleh) from Chittagong in March 1889. The Expedition comprised of three officers and 250 sepoys. They built  a timber stockade known as ‘Fort Lungleh’, thus placing Lunglei under administrative control of the British Rule. The South Lushai Hills, a separate administrative unit under Chittagong Division  was constituted on 1st April 1891 till the year 1898 when the North & South Lushai Hills were amalgamated into one district known as Lushai Hills District and was placed under administrative control of Assam and a Sub-Divisional Officer posted at Lunglei as administrative head of the District. A list of SDOs posted at Lunglei as per available records is given below :

Sl. No    Name    From     To

1              F.C.T. Halliday    1.4.1898               31.5.1898

2             

C.B.Drake-Brockman 

1.6.1898               4.7.1900

3              W.C.M.Cundas                  5.7.1900               8.10.1900

4              C.B.Drake-Brockman                      9.10.1900              18.8.1901

5              A.R. Giles             19.8.1901             10.11.1901

6              G.P. Whalley      30.11.1901           19.10.1904

7             

.R. Giles

20.10.1904           25.5.1906

8              C.Feil-Man          26.5.1906             23.3.1907

9              C Shadwell          24.3.1907             23.12.1908

10           J.W.G. Buller      24.12.1908           3.5.1910

11           R.W. Vonmorde               4.5.1910               18.4.1912

12           M. Bradshaw     19.4.1912             25.12.1914

13           J.H. Grace            26.12.1914           30.12.1914

14          

J. Needham 

31.12.1914           20.4.1917

15           M. Bradshaw     2.6.1912               31.1.1918

16           H.G. Bartley        1.2.1918               19.5.1919

17           J. Needham        20.5.1919             22.8.1919

18           W.H.Tilbury M.C.              23.8.1921             31.10.1921

19           J. Needham        1.11.1921             12.3.1922

20           W.H.Tilbury M.C.              13.3.1922             11.5.1922

21           J. Needham        12.5.1922             16.5.1922

22           H.Lischer              22.4.1924             10.12.1926

23           W.H.Tilbury M.C.              11.12.1926           30.4.1929

24           G.P.Jarman         1.5.1929               8.2.1930

25           W.H.Tilbury M.C.               9.2.1930               9.12.1932

26          

L.L. Peter, A.C.S. 

19.1.1933             3.6.1932

27           Kevichusa, A.C.S.             3.6.1935               11.12.1935

28           L.L. Peter, A.C.S.               11.12.1935           ’37 or ‘38

29           G.P. Jarman, A.C.S.         37 or ’38                ‘39

30           L.L. Peter, A.C.S.               1939       8, 1942

31           E.S. Hyde, ACS Addl. Supdt.         42           ‘44

32           J.Dumbreak, I.C.S.           Mar 1944            

33           A.O.Bowman, I.C.S.Addl. Supdt.Dec,      1944      

34           Capt. D.A. Penn                1946      

35          

M. Wiscot 

19.9.1947             1.6.1949

36           S.Das, A.C.S.       1.6.1949               21.2.1951

37           R.Buchhawna, A.C.S.      21.2.1951             4.10.1951

38           B.W. Ray, A.C.S.                4.10.1951             23.10.1953

39           K.L. Roy, A.C.S.                  23.10.1953           19.7.1955

40           J.C.Changkakati, A.C.S.                  19.7.1955             12.2.1956

41           P.H. Trivedi, I.A.S.            12.12.1956           1.12.1957

42           T.S. Gill, I.A.S.    14.12.1957           22.5.1958

43           D.S. Khongdup, A.C.S.    29.12.1959           9.5.1961

44          

B.C. Parija, I.A.S.

 9.5.1961              9.7.1963

45           J.N. Gohain, A.C.S.          9.7.1963               11.11.1964

46           R.V. Pilai, I.A.S.                  11.11.1964           28.2.1966

47           D. S. Khongdup, A.C.S. Addl.DC                 27.4.1966             17.4.1967

48           N.N. Mikherjee, I.A.S.   14.4.1967             13.10.1967

49           S.K. Chakravorty, I.A.S. 16.1.1968             18.4.1968

50           V.S. Jafa, I.A.S.                  18.4.1968             12.11.1969

51           C.N.S. Nair, I.A.S.             12.11.1969           15.7.1971

52           M.K. Bezboruah, I.A.S.                  16.7.1971             16.5.1972

With the constitution of the Union Territory of Mizoram on 21st January, 1972, Lunglei became one of the three Districts of Mizoram U.T and a Deputy Commissioner was posted. A list of Deputy Commissioners so far posted at Lunglei is furnished below :

Sl. No.   Name    From     To

1              F Pahnuna, IAS                  14.10.1972           13.7.1973

2              A Baijal, IAS        14.7.1973             14.5.1974

3              S.P. Aggarwal, IAS            15.5.1974             11.6.1976

4              Baleshwar Rai, IAS           12.6.1976             25.8.1978

5              F Pahnuna, IAS 26.8.1978             25.2.1982

6              Rakesh Behari, IAS          26.2.1982             5.5.1982

7              Deepak Mohan Spolia, IAS           3.3.1983               17.5.1983

8              M.M Lal, IAS       13.2.1984             11.10.1984

9              P Lalnithanga, IAS            12.10.1984           30.11.1986

10           H Raltawna, MCS              9.1.1987               22.4.1987

11           Felix Sequeira, IAS           24.4.1987             8.3.1988

12           L Tochhawng, IAS             26.4.1988             29.8.1989

13           R.L.Thanzawna, MCS      14.09.1989           30.11.1991

14           P.K.Bhattacherjee, MCS               01.12.1991           25.08.1993

15           Rajendra Kumar, IAS      26.08.1993           09.04.1995

16           C.Ropianga, IAS                10.04.1995           28.07.1998

17           K.Riachho, MCS                29.07.1998           31.07.2000

18           C.Hmingthanzuala, IAS                  10.08.2000           14.11.2002

19           C.Tawnluaia, IAS               15.11.2002           11.09.2003

20           Vanengmawia, IAS          12.9.2003             06.3.2006

21           C.Thanchhuma, IAS         06.3.2006             25.10.2007

22           M.Zohmingthangi, IAS                   01.11.2007           01.07.2011

23           V. Sapchhunga, IAS         14.07.11               28.02.2014

24           Ashish Madhaorao More, IAS     18.03.2014           31.01.2016

25           Abhijit Vijay Chaudhary 01.02.2016           till date

Deputy Commissioner is assisted in his day-to-day function by Additional Deputy Commissioners, Sub-Divisional Officer (Sadar), Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Assistant to Deputy Commissioners and a number of clerical staff. The Sub-Divisional Officers (Civil) who are posted in the Sub-Divisions also assist the Deputy Commissioner in the District administration.

                ORIGIN OF LUNGLEI ADMINISTRATION TO THE PRESENT DAY – Source: lunglei.nic.in