The Mizo National Front is a regional political party in Mizoram, India. MNF emerged from the Mizo National Famine Front, which was formed by Pu Laldenga to protest against the inaction of the Government of India towards the famine situation in the Mizo areas of the Assam state in 1959. It staged a major uprising in 1966, followed by years of underground activities. In 1986, it signed the Mizoram Accord with the Government of India, renouncing secession and violence. The MNF then began contesting elections and has formed state government in Mizoram three times. It is currently the state's ruling party, with its president, Zoramthanga, as the Chief Minister of Mizoram.
The Mizo language, or Mizo ṭawng, is a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language belonging to the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan family, spoken natively by the Mizo people in the Mizoram state of India and Chin State and Sagaing Division in Myanmar. The language is also known as Duhlian and Lushai, a colonial term, as the Duhlian people were the first among the Mizos to be encountered by the British in the course of their colonial expansion. The Mizo language is mainly based on Lusei dialect but it has also derived many words from its surrounding Mizo sub-tribes and sub-clan. Now, Mizo language or Mizo ṭawng is the lingua franca of Mizoram and its surrounding areas and to a lesser extent of Myanmar and Bangladesh and in India in some parts of Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland. Many poetic languages are derived from Pawi, Zomi, and Hmar, and most known ancient poems considered to be Mizo are actually in Pawi. Mizo is the official language of Mizoram, along with English, and there have been efforts to have it included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
Karimpumannil Mathai George (1914–2002), popularly known as Dr. K. M. George, was an eminent Malayalam writer and educator. An erudite scholar and literary critic with astute organisational capabilities, he is best known as a pioneer of Comparative Indian Studies and Literatures. He was a recipient of the fourth highest Indian civilian honour, the Padma Shri, the highest literary award of the Government of Kerala, the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram and the third highest Indian civilian award, the Padma Bhushan, besides other honours.
Keki N. Daruwalla is an Indian poet and short story writer in English. He is also a former Indian Police Service officer. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award, in 1984 for his poetry collection, The Keeper of the Dead, by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters. He was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India, in 2014.
Mizo Hlakungpui Mual is a monument to commemorate Mizo poets. It was set up in 1986 at the southern edge of Khawbung Village, Mizoram state, North-East India, about 100 miles northwest of Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Mizo literature is the literature written in Mizo ṭawng, the principal language of the Mizo peoples, which has both written and oral traditions. It has undergone a considerable change in the 20th century. The language developed mainly from the Lushai language, with significant influence from Pawi language, Paite language and Hmar language, especially at the literary level. All Mizo languages such as Pawi language, Paite language etc. remained unwritten until the beginning of the twentieth century. However, there was unwritten secular literature in the form of folktales, war chants etc. passed down from one generation to another. And there was rich religious literature in the form of sacerdotal chants. These are the chants used by the two types of priests, namely Bawlpu and Sadâwt. This article is about the written literature.
Edwin Rowlands was a Welsh Christian missionary in northeast India and Burma. He was a professional teacher, singer, composer, poet, translator and literary figure among the Mizo people. He was regarded as the most beloved of all British missionaries in Mizoram. He was more popularly known as Zosapthara. He made the major hymns in Mizo and Khumi which are still in use. He modified the original Mizo alphabet and his system became the standard in Mizo language. He created written language for Khumi people in Burma, and for Bhil people in Maharashtra. His literary works are the foundation of Mizo literature. He was the first administrator of education in Mizoram as Honorary Inspector of Schools. Despite objection from various corners he married Thangkungi, a Mizo girl.
J. Malsawma, is a Mizo writer and scholar from North East Indian state of Mizoram, India. The Government of India honoured him, in 2013, by awarding him the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for his contributions to the fields of literature.
Ralte L. Thanmawia is an Indian educationist and writer from Mizoram.
Motilal Wadhumal Jotwani was an Indian writer, educationist, gandhian and a former post doctoral fellow of Harvard Divinity School who specialized in Sindhi language and literature. A winner of Sahitya Academy Award, he was honoured by the Government of India in 2003 with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award.
Laltluangliana Khiangte is a Mizo academic, playwright and poet of Mizo literature. He was the principal of the Serampore College and a former professor at Pachhunga University College and the North Eastern Hill University. He is presently serving as the senior most professor at the Department of Mizo at Mizoram University. He is a recipient of the Pu Buanga Award, the highest literary award of the Mizo Academy of Letters. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2006, for his contributions to Indian literature.
Lalthangfala Sailo is an Indian educationist, short story writer, playwright and a former president of the Mizo Academy of Letters. He is a former deputy registrar at the Mizoram campus of the North Eastern Hill University.
Closepet Dasappa Narasimhaiah (1921–2005) was an Indian writer, literary critic and the principal of Maharaja's College, Mysore. Narasimhaiah was best known for his literary criticisms and for bringing out an abridged version of Discovery of India of Jawaharlal Nehru, under the title, Rediscovery of India. He was a recipient of the Rajyotsava Prashasti honor of the Government of Karnataka. The Government of India awarded him the third highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan, in 1990, for his contributions to literature.
Lalzuia Colney is an Indian academic and writer of Mizo literature.
Takanobu Takahashi is a Japanese Indologist, who is currently associate professor of Indian literature at International Buddhist University at Osaka, Japan. He is the second translator of the Kural into Japanese.
Mizo Culture is the culture of the Mizo people. Mizo culture is rooted in the arts and ways of life of Mizo's in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar
Vankhama (1906-1970) was a traditional writer, composer and poet from Mizoram, India. He is known in Mizo literature for a unique lyrical style. He composed over 50 song. Among his famous works are Tlaizawng Par, Nunrawng Hmelṭha, Rimawi Ram and Mizo Vaihlo. He received much of his musical training from the British Christian missionaries in Mizoram.
Rokunga was a traditional writer and composer from Mizoram, India.
Zirsangzela Hnamte was a writer of Mizo literature. He started composing at 17. He composed over 75 songs. Many of his songs are now used as study material in high school and colleges of Mizoram.
Lalthlamuong Keivom was an Indian diplomat, writer and composer of Mizo literature and Hmar literature. Keivom was nicknamed Zoram Khawvel Pa after his treatise Zoram Khawvel and for his contribution towards the integration of Zo people.
