Veteran Mizoram journalist Lalbiakthanga Pachuau gets Padma Shri

Veteran Mizoram journalist Lalbiakthanga Pachuau has been awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honor of the country. Mizoram Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai, in his Republic Day speech on Sunday, said Pachuau was included among 118 Padma Shri awardees announced by the Centre on Saturday.

Another Padma Shri recipient from the state was litterateur C Kamlova, he said. The governor congratulated both Pachuau and Kamlova for getting the prestigious award.

The 94-year-old Pachuau started his career in journalism with a relatively small paper Zoram Thupuan in 1953. He is the editor of a local daily "Zoram Tlangau" from 1970 till date. Pachuau has been a prominent figure in Mizoram Journalist Association (MJA) and has had held the president post for three terms.

Pachuau was declared "oldest working journalist in the country" by Mizoram governments Information and Public Relations department and Mizoram Journalists Association (MJA), an apex body of all journalists in the state, in October 2016. He co-founded the Association for Voluntary Blood Donation (AVBD) in Mizoram as its general secretary and was later elected its president several times from 2001 onwards.

In 1945, during the second world war, Pachuau had joined the army and won many military awards. Pachuau was one of the key delegates at the peace talks between the erstwhile underground Mizo National Front (MNF) and the Centre during early 1980s.

Pachua was the founder president of Mizoram Social Defence Union during the 1990s and campaigned vigorously against alcohol and drugs..

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