Sângthankima (born 18 October 1960) is a

humanitarian Humanitarianism is an active belief in the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotional ...

and

social worker Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...

in Mizoram, India. He is the founder of Thutak Nunpuitu Team (TNT), a voluntary organisation, which runs the largest charitable institution (by the same name) in Mizoram. His institution, a registered society since 1991 under the Firms and Societies in India, started as a

rehabilitation Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to: Health * Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished * Rehabilitation (wildlife), treatment of injured wildlife so they can be retur ...

society for alcoholics in Champhai town. With donation of a plot of land in Aizawl city, it expanded into an orphanage with formal school, health centre, and sanatorium. In addition to more than a dozen of awards for his social service, Sangthankima has received an honorary doctorate (

D.H.L. The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (; DHumLitt; DHL; or LHD) is an honorary degree awarded to those who have distinguished themselves through humanitarian and philanthropic contributions to society. The criteria for awarding the degree differ ...

) from

Rangoon Yangon ( my, ရန်ကုန်; ; ), formerly spelled as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar (also known as Burma). Yangon served as the capital of Myanmar until 2006, when the military government ...

's Methodist Bible College in 2008, Achievers Award 2013 For NGO,

Mother Teresa Awards The Mother Teresa Awards, officially called the Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social Justice, are international and national awards presented annually to honour individuals and organizations that promote peace, equality and social justice, and a ...

for Social Justice in 2014, and the

Mizo Award ''Vanglaini'' is a daily newspaper in Mizoram, northeast India, published in the Mizo language. It is registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India (no. RNI 34227/79. : MZR/67/2012-2014). It is owned, edited, and published by K. Sapdan ...

of 2014.

Biography

Sângthankima was born in Tlangsam village, near Champhai, in eastern Mizoram. He is the third eldest of nine children, two sisters and seven brothers. His father Lalruma Sailo (1933-2012) was a Church Elder in Champhai. He is named after his grandfather Lalsanga, Chief of North Khawbung. He completed primary school, but dropped out at entry of middle school at class five. He was into hard life in his youth, but became a

born-again Christian Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and sepa ...

in 1980, at age 20. He soon dedicated his evangelism for alcoholics. On 14 November 1988 he established a voluntary gospel organisation called Thutak Nunpuitu Team ("Practical Exemplar of Truth") at Champhai. The mission also took up social works such as caring for the disabled and orphans. In 1991, K. Thangzuala, a

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

donated a large plot of land for his organisation at Zuangtui, adjacent to Aizawl, capital city of Mizoram. He and his volunteers moved there and got formal registration as non-profit organisation under the Indian Firms and Societies Act.

Thutak Nunpuitu Team

The organisation became synonymous with the institution, but which they officially called "Calvary Hospital". The first official building was inaugurated on 17 June 1994. The residence quickly expanded into an orphanage in 1995, offering formal education. It subsequently became rehabilitation for drug abusers and alcoholics, health centre for physically and mentally challenged people. Boarders include in addition to Mizo people,

Chakma Chakma may refer to: *Chakma people, a Tibeto-Burman people of Bangladesh and Northeast India *Chakma language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them **Chakma script ***Chakma (Unicode block) Chakma is a Unicode block containing characters for ...

, Reang,

Assamese Assamese may refer to: * Assamese people, a socio-ethnolinguistic identity of north-eastern India * People of Assam, multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-religious people of Assam * Assamese language, one of the easternmost Indo-Aryan language ...

, and

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. At one time, Burmese immigrants consisted as many as 70% of the total boarders. Education now covers up to

secondary level Secondary may refer to: Science and nature * Secondary emission, of particles ** Secondary electrons, electrons generated as ionization products * The secondary winding, or the electrical or electronic circuit connected to the secondary winding i ...

, and consists of school building, a computer training centre, a tailoring training centre, a candle making industry, a school of music and fine arts, weightlifting academy, and games and sports training centre. Government of Mizoram has established a pre-school ( anganwadi) centre and health clinic. There are also poultry yard, a dairy farm and piggery. According to record more than 260 mental patients, 850 drug abusers and 1500 alcoholics have recovered. As of 2014, there are 424 orphans, 254 mentally challenged and 324 drug addicts and alcoholics, with 68 volunteers. The organisation still continues at Champhai with 63 boarders, and in addition, has established rehabilitation centres at Lunglei with 95 boarders, and at Kolasib with 40 boarders.

Achievements and recognitions

Sângthankima had no income when he started Thutak Nunpuitu Team or later Calvary Hospital. But he takes pride in that never had once been a skip of meal in his organisation. He receives support and aids from philanthropists and other organisations. In 2008 he became the first honorary doctorate (

) from

's Methodist Bible College. He was awarded by Writers' Club, Lunglei (WCL) on 24 July 2014. He received the Mother Teresa Awards for Social Justice from the Harmony Foundation on 9 November 2014. On 29 November 2014, former Chief Minister of Mizoram Brig. T. Sailo presented him the Mizo Award, the most-prized award in Mizoram instituted by ''

Vanglaini ''Vanglaini'' is a daily newspaper in Mizoram, northeast India, published in the Mizo language. It is registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India (no. RNI 34227/79. : MZR/67/2012-2014). It is owned, edited, and published by K. Sapdang ...

'' publication.

Personal life

Sângthankima is married to Lalṭhakimi. With their four children, they live at Zuangtui.

References

{{reflist

External links

Website of TNT
1960 births Social workers from Mizoram People from Champhai district Living people Mizo people