ABSTRACT
Earlier known as the Lushai Hills, Mizoram is located in the southernmost corner of India's northeastern region. Ever since the British annexed the land in the late 19th century, Mizoram has experienced a series of impactful historical events and immense transformation which are discussed and interrogated in the present chapter. One of the well-known changes in the Mizo society during the colonial period was mass conversion of the Mizos into Christianity and the progress in education mainly through the works of the missionaries. British rule has also witnessed the rise of educated commoners who have succeeded in the abolition of the traditional chiefs after winning the first election held in Independent India. After Independence, the effort to integrate all Chin-Lushai-Kuki tribes in Mizoram under the banner of Mizo, however, has failed to succeed even after changing the name of Lushai Hills into Mizo Hills.
The Mizoram (Peace) Accord was signed in 1986 and the state of Mizoram was formed with a special provision in the Constitution of India. To regain the lost years of development, the state has given tremendous effort to change the use of land from shifting cultivation to permanent occupation. However, the failure of the rural development oriented land-use policies has helped in increasing the rate of urbanisation in the state.
