Champhai (Pron:/tʃamˈpʰaɪ/) is a border town in

Mizoram Mizoram () is a state in Northeast India, with Aizawl as its seat of government and capital city. The name of the state is derived from "Mizo people, Mizo", the endonym, self-described name of the native inhabitants, and "Ram", which in the Mizo ...

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

, in far eastern

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. It is the headquarters of Champhai district, one of the eleven districts in the state. It is located on the Indo-

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

border and is situated in a strategically important location. Because of this, it is the main business corridor for India and Myanmar in the area. The area of Champhai is . The average annual rainfall is .

History

Champhai was the headquarters of Lalbura Sailo, son of Vanhnuailiana, a Mizo Chief against whom the British Expedition of 1871–72 was directed. It was accorded the status of a fort during the British period. The Champhai Valley was once a lake and was gradually silted to obliterate the lake. The soil of the plain was still uncultivated during the

Lushai Expedition The British Indian Army Lushai Expedition of 1871 to 1872 was a punitive incursion under the command of Generals Brownlow and Bourchier. The objectives of the expedition were to rescue British subjects who had been captured by the Lushais in ...

of 1872. Irrigated rice cultivation started in Champhai in the year 1898 encouraged by the

British Colonial The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

Authorities to supply rice for their soldiers and laborers. As of 1922, there was only 1 shop in Champhai. On 1 March 1966, the MNF declared unilateral Mizo Independence and attacked

Assam Rifles The Assam Rifles (AR) is a central paramilitary force responsible for border security, counter-insurgency, and maintaining law and order in Northeast India. It guards the Indo-Myanmar border. The Assam rifles is the oldest paramilitary force ...

post at Champhai.

Economy

The economy of Champhai is mainly agriculture and border trade. Champhai is also the main trading centre of

with goods like clothes, silverware and electronics imported from

through the trading post in Zokhawthar. It has a flatland measuring 113 kilometres long and 48 kilometres in width for wet rice cultivation which can produce 19,200 quintals of rice per year. 10,000 quintals of grape were cultivated in 2011 alone churning 20,000 bottles a year. These are the two main agricultural products.

Climate

Champhai has a moderate climate. In winter, the temperature varies from 10 °C to 20 °C and between 15 °C and 30 °C in summer.

Education

Champhai College is the only institution for higher education in the town. However, there are many government owned and privately run schools operating here.

Media

The Major Media in Champhai are: * Lenrual * Pasaltha * Rihlipui * CCN (Digital TV Operator) * LCN (Digital TV Operator)

Transport

A helicopter service by

Pawan Hans Pawan Hans Limited is a central public sector undertaking based at Noida in Delhi NCR, India. It is under the ownership of Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India. It has cumulatively flown more than 1 million hours and has had ...

has been started which connects the Aizawl with Champhai. The distance between Champhai and

Aizawl Aizawl (; Mizo: ) is the capital of the state of Mizoram in India. Aizawl was officially established on 25 February 1890. With a population of 293,416, it is the largest city in the state. It is also the centre of administration containing all ...

is 194 km and is connected with regular service of bus and maxi cab.

References

External links

Champhai.nic.in : The first official district site of Champhai town

Champhai Blog

Champhai.net : Champhai Daily News
{{Mizoram