A short biography of the Principal

K.Lalhunmawia

The founder and principal of Nuchhungi English Medium School, Mr. K.Lalhunmawia was born on the 23rd December, 1974 in Hnahthial, Lunglei District, Mizoram, India. His parents were K.Vanngaia (L) and Nuchhungi (L). His mother passed away  in 1994 in Hnahthial while K.Lalhunmawia was facing his II PU(A) final examination in Aizawl and thus he was informed of his mother’s death only a month later, on the evening that he completed his final exam.

He started schooling at primary level in Hnahthial and attended different schools where his father who was a teacher was posted. He completed Middle School at Model Middle School Hnahthial and graduated with ill health from Gov’t High School, Hnahthial with distinction division at High School Leaving Certificate Examination and stood 18th in the whole of Mizoram for which he was very disappointed (His elder brother had stood first in Mizoram at Class VII Board Examination and second in Mizoram at HSLC Examination). During his High School years, he always secured fist position in every class exams with distinction division and was elected Secretary of Hnahthial Zirlai Pawl when he was doing his matriculation.

He studied pre-university and graduate courses at Pachhunga University College, Aizawl and in 1997 graduated from the college with economics as a major subject. While studying at the college, he participated in co-curricular activities and won first prize in extempore speech (English) and debate. In 1992 when he was doing his first year P.U which is now called class 11, he was the first ever to be selected among Mizos after trials and a series of tests to represent the college at the North Eastern Level Debate and Quiz Competition  held in Silchar, Assam where different colleges including medical, engineering, agricultural, etc. colleges of the seven states of North East India sent representatives. He went there along with a non-Mizo girl Debashree Nag (who later became a singer and released her audio album in Mizo) for debate and won third prize in Debate competition. In 1993, he was elected Debating Secretary in the Students’ Union of the College and was chosen to deliver speeches in English on many occasions outside the college on behalf of the Students’ Union. In 1993, he was again selected to go to Silchar and represent the college in Debate Competition at the North eastern level, but due to unavoidable circumstances, he could not turn up and a non-Mizo girl was sent on his behalf and unfortunately the college could not go through even the preliminary round of the debate. During this period, he was elected the first secretary of Aizawl-Hnahthial Students’ Union (AHSU). He was also a prayer secretary in the Evangelical Union of the College and also the first secretary of Students' Self Support Union (SSU) of the college.

After graduation in 1997, he was invited to work in different schools and during a short period of three years he worked in three different schools as a teacher and a principal. During this period, he also published a weekly newspaper called Sunday Express and he became the first secretary of Hnahthial Journalists' Association which is now known as Mizoram Journalists’ Association, Hnahthial. In 1998 he was married to Vanlalfakawmi and in 2000, he started running a school of his own and named it after his mother who left for her heavenly abode and was laid to rest in his absence.

He was never inclined to apply for any gov’t job but in 2003 and 2004 amidst his busy schedule of work, he faced the prestigious Mizoram Civil Services Examinations and without any serious preparation he went through the written exams on both the occasions. He went for the interviews and the first conversation he had as he recalled was what the chairman of the board said, ‘You come from Hnahthial, isn’t it ?’ which, he believes, contains a wrong question tag. He never applied for any other gov’t job but rather devotes himself fully to the school.

In the social arena, he was a secretary of Hnahthial District Function Demand Committee and Vice Chairman of NGOs’ Co-ordination Committee for two consecutive terms. He was twice elected a secretary, Assistant Secretary and Finance Secretary of Hnahthial Teachers’ Association in which teachers of schools including those of College within Hnahthial are members. He has held different posts of Office Bearers of Hnahthial English Medium Schools’ Association in which five private schools in Hnahthial are members.

While he was working as a High School teacher at Tuipui 'D'in 1998, he was elected by a committee of local authorities to interpret the speech of a high profile non-Mizo guest and the local authorities at a public function held at the playground where the whole of the community gathered and important local matters were discussed. On another ocassion in 2008, it happened that the then External Affairs Minister of India, who later became the 13th President of India on 25th July, 2012, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee visited Hnahthial on a campaign tour for the President of Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee, Lal Thanhawla, who was the candidate for the MLA election on congress ticket in the 29th South Tuipui Constituency, and the principal of the school was selected amongst a large number of scholars in Hnahthial by the Local Congress leaders to interpret the speech of Pranab Mukherjee. As he is neutral and member of none of the political parties, he was reluctant to be in the midst of politicians as that may cause people to label him as a congress member. But he took courage, attended the public meeting at HBSC Ground, the biggest ground in Hnahthial, where Lalriliani, wife of Lal Thanhawla was also present and thus stood by the current President of India for quite sometime interpreting his speech.

He found 42 mistakes in the textbooks and he brought them to the knowledge of the Mizoram Board of School Education along with suggested corrections. Positive reactions were received and the mistakes were corrected accordingly by the board in the next edition.