New Delhi, Aug 21: Researcher, author and journalist Sanjoy Hazarika delivers an authoritative biographical account of Lal Thanhawla, Mizoram’s longest-serving chief minister, intertwined with a definitive history of the state in his forthcoming book, Lal Thanhawla: The Boy from Zarkawt and the Making of Mizoram.
Tracing Mizoram’s journey from the time of the British Raj to the present day, the book examines the political forces, personalities and negotiations that shaped the young state. Drawing on hundreds of interviews conducted over two years and rare archival material, Hazarika offers a sweeping record of the tumultuous evolution of Mizoram towards peace and stability through an intimate account of Lal Thanhawla’s political journey, transforming from an anti-India movement participant to a leader who helped end the insurgency.
Speaking about the book, Sanjoy Hazarika says,
“The Boy from Zarkawt is a compelling story that has long fascinated me; I wanted to bring the colour, drama and challenges of a remote outpost on India’s eastern border to a larger Indian audience, mirroring the contemporary history of a tiny state seen through the eyes of its longest-serving chief minister. Lal Thanhawla was an attractive political personality. He had been part of an anti-India movement, rose to power and turned his back on it—which politician does that?—to end an insurgency.”
Lal Thanhawla: The Boy from Zarkawt and the Making of Mizoram will be released on 27 August 2026.