Kohima (;
Tenyidie: Kewhira ()) is the
capital of the
North East Indian state of
Nagaland
Nagaland () is a States and union territories of India, state in the northeast India, north-eastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south, and the Naga Sel ...
. With a resident population of almost 100,000, it is the second largest city in the state.
Kohima constitutes both a
district
A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...
and a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
. The municipality covers . The city lies on the foothills of
Japfü section of the
Barail Range located south of the District () and has an average elevation of .
Originally known as Kewhira, Kohima's history goes back to a time when it was a village of the
Angami Nagas. It became an urban centre in 1878 when the
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
established its headquarters of the then
Naga Hills District of
Assam Province
Assam Province was a province of British India, created in 1912 by the partition of the Eastern Bengal and Assam Province.
Its capital was in Shillong.
The Assam territory was first separated from Bengal in 1874 as the 'North-East Frontier' ...
. It officially became the capital after the state of Nagaland was inaugurated in 1963. Kohima was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The battle is often referred to as the ''
Stalingrad
Volgograd,. geographical renaming, formerly Tsaritsyn. (1589–1925) and Stalingrad. (1925–1961), is the largest city and the administrative centre of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. The city lies on the western bank of the Volga, covering an area o ...
of the East''. In 2013, the British
National Army Museum voted the
Battle of Kohima to be ''Britain's Greatest Battle''.
Etymology
Kohima was originally known as ''Kewhi–ra''. People from different places and directions came in search of a place to settle down and formed a homogenous group that necessitated the establishment of a village. They named it Kewhira which is derived from the Angami word ''kephfükewhi'' which means to "meet and assemble together" and ''ra'' means "village" with its area jurisdiction. The people of ''Kewhira'' are called ''Kewhimia'' (''mia'' means people) who are the indigenous inhabitants and hereditarily owned the land of ''Kewhira''.
History
Medieval era
According to oral history, the historical founder of
Kewhira (Kohima Village) was ''Tsiera'' (stone defender). The village is said to be more than 700 years old and is believed to be the second largest village in Asia.
The village is divided into four large clans (''
thinuo''): ''Tsütuonuomia'', ''Lhisemia'', ''Dapfhütsumia'' and ''Pfüchatsumia'' (T, L, D, and P Khel respectively).
Colonial era
The
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
Administration
Administration may refer to:
Management of organizations
* Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal: the process of dealing with or controlling things or people.
** Administrative assistant, traditionally known as a se ...
started to expand into Kohima beginning the 1840s. The progress made by the
company armies in annexing the region continued after the
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against Company rule in India, the rule of the East India Company, British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the The Crown, British ...
, although now under the auspices of the
British Indian Army
The Indian Army was the force of British Raj, British India, until Indian Independence Act 1947, national independence in 1947. Formed in 1895 by uniting the three Presidency armies, it was responsible for the defence of both British India and ...
. Kohima was the first seat of modern administration as the Headquarters of
Naga Hills District (then under
Assam Province
Assam Province was a province of British India, created in 1912 by the partition of the Eastern Bengal and Assam Province.
Its capital was in Shillong.
The Assam territory was first separated from Bengal in 1874 as the 'North-East Frontier' ...
) with the appointment of
Guybon Henry Damant as Political Officer in 1879.
Battle of Kohima
In 1944 during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
the
Battle of Kohima along with the simultaneous
Battle of Imphal
The Battle of Imphal () took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in Northeast India from March until July 1944. Empire of Japan, Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and ...
was the turning point in the
Burma Campaign
The Burma campaign was a series of battles fought in the British colony of British rule in Burma, Burma as part of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II. It primarily involved forces of the Allies of World War II, Allies (mainly from ...
. For the first time in
South-East Asia
Southeast Asia is the geographical southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Australian mainland, which is part of Oceania. Southeast Asia i ...
, the
Japanese lost the initiative to the
Allies, which the Allies then retained until the end of the war. This hand-to-hand battle and slaughter prevented the
Japanese Army from gaining a base from which they might have easily gone into the plains of India.
Kohima has a large cemetery known as the
Kohima War Cemetery for the Allied war dead; it is maintained by the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations mil ...
. The cemetery lies on the slopes of Garrison Hill, in what was once the Deputy Commissioner's tennis court, which was the scene of intense fighting known as the
Battle of the Tennis Court. The
epitaph
An epitaph (; ) is a short text honoring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves be ...
carved on the memorial of the 2nd British Division in the cemetery has become world-famous as the Kohima poem.
''When You Go Home, Tell Them of Us and Say,''
''For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.''
The verse is attributed to
John Maxwell Edmonds (1875–1958), and is thought to have been inspired by
the epitaph written by
Simonides
Simonides of Ceos (; ; c. 556 – 468 BC) was a Greek lyric poet, born in Ioulis on Kea (island), Ceos. The scholars of Hellenistic Alexandria included him in the canonical list of the nine lyric poets esteemed by them as worthy of criti ...
to honour the Greek who fell at the
Battle of Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae ( ) was fought in 480 BC between the Achaemenid Empire, Achaemenid Persian Empire under Xerxes I and an alliance of Polis, Greek city-states led by Sparta under Leonidas I. Lasting over the course of three days, it wa ...
in 480 BC.
1963–present
When Nagaland became a full-fledged state on 1 December 1963, Kohima was named as the state capital.
Killings of Kekuojalie Sachü and Vikhozo Yhoshü
On 20 March 1986, two students Kekuojalie Sachü (19) and Vikhozo Yhoshü (14) were killed and over 50 others were injured in indiscriminate firing by
Nagaland Police when they participated in a peaceful protest called by the
Naga Students' Federation (NSF) to rally against the state government's decision on the introduction of
Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service (IPS) is a civil service under the All India Services. It replaced the Indian Imperial Police in 1948, a year after India became Partition of India, independent from the British Empire.
Along with the Indian Admini ...
(IPS) cadres and the extension of the Disturbed Area Belt from 5 to 20 km along the Indo-Myanmar (Indo-
Burma
Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...
) border. The event was so tumultuous that it led three Cabinet ministers and five State Ministers of Nagaland to resign.
1995 Kohima Massacre
On 5 March 1995, when a convoy of the 16th
Rashtriya Rifles of the
Indian Army
The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...
, comprising 63 vehicles with 5 officers, 15
junior commissioned officers and approximately 400
soldiers was traversing through the densely populated AOC and BOC areas of Kohima en route from
Bishnupur to
Dimapur, a
tyre burst from one of the convoy's own vehicle led the armed troops to mistake the sound of the tyre bursting for a bomb attack by insurgents. The troops reacted immediately and started firing at civilian populace. The firing lasted approximately 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., during which the soldiers discharged 1,207 rounds of
gunfire and 5
mortal shells into civilian areas. A total of 7 were killed and 36 were left injured. Eyewitness accounts and subsequent investigations found no evidence of an actual ambush or crossfire with insurgents. The incident is widely referred to as the 1995 Kohima Massacre.
2017 Nagaland protests
On 2 February 2017, the office building of the
Kohima Municipal Council was burned down by a
mob as part of the
boycott of the Civic Elections. The fire significantly damaged adjoining government and private buildings. On 19 February, in response against the backdrop of widespread protests and civil unrest in the state,
T. R. Zeliang announced his resignation as the Chief Minister of Nagaland.
2023 Kohima fire
On 27 February 2023, a massive fire broke in Mao Market and NN Market, one of the biggest commercial areas in Kohima, causing complete damage to the markets.
Geography
Topography
Kohima is located at 25°67' North, 94°10' East, in the southern part of Nagaland. It lies north of the
Japfü–
Barail intersection with
Pulie Badze to the southwest overlooking the city. The hills on which Kohima is located has an elevation ranging from .
Climate
The city experiences a
subtropical highland climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring c ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
: ''Cwb''), with greater contrast between summer and winter than in other continents due to the
monsoon
A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...
s but mild temperatures even for latitude and altitude. The months of June to September concentrate much of the precipitation.
Kohima has been ranked 36th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 3 population under 3 lakhs cities) in India.
Environment
Water supply and availability
Most Wards in Kohima experiences severe water shortages during the dry seasons. The current water resources from the reservoirs of Zarü River and the streams from the slopes of
Pulie Badze do not fulfill the needs of the rapidly growing population of Kohima. With the augmentation of the Zarü River project and several other upcoming water projects to be supplied from
Dzüko Valley and others. The water supply is expected to cover more wards.
Administration
The
Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) was established in 2005 under India's Constitution (Seventy-Fourth Amendment) Act, 1992. It has waste management, drainage and trade licensing and other responsibilities.
Other departments of the
state government
A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonom ...
, which sit in Kohima, also have a role in the administration of Kohima.
The "City Development Plan" for the town, for example, was written by state Urban Development Department.
Wards
Kohima is divided into nineteen sectors with a total of thirty-three administrative wards under the authority of the
Kohima Municipal Council, covering an area of about . Each ward has its own council government and handles many of the functions that are handled by city governments in other jurisdictions.
Public safety
Police and law enforcement
The
Kohima Police of the
Nagaland Police is the police force responsible for maintaining security, law and order in the
Kohima Metropolitan Area. It is headed by a
Superintendent of Police (SP). Kevithuto Sophie is the current SP of Kohima. The municipal area of Kohima is served by two police stations—
Kohima North Police Station and Kohima South Police Station.
In 2020, the Kohima North Police Station became the first police station and a government facility in the entire
North Eastern Region of India to receive the
International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO ; ; ) is an independent, non-governmental, international standard development organization composed of representatives from the national standards organizations of member countries.
M ...
(ISO) 9001 Certification for quality management system.
Governance
Nagaland's traditional governance system persists in rural areas and urban Kohima through ward panchayats. Each ward elects a panchayat chairman every five years by a show of hands, who then appoints officials, including joint secretaries and Gaon Burhas (GBs). Recognized by the District Commissioner, ward panchayats oversee peaceful community coexistence, resolve disputes, and communicate community concerns to the government. GBs manage house tax collection due to their familiarity with households. These traditional bodies are integral to development work within their wards and hold meetings as needed. Institutionalizing them under the municipal act could formalize their roles, transferring councillors' duties to panchayat chairmen and integrating them into municipal councils as ward committees. The Kohima Town Committee (KTC) was established in 1957 with 8 wards, 8 elected members, and 4 government nominees. Key pioneers include Shri Yusuf Ali as the first Ex-Officio Chairman, Late Dr. Neilhouzhu Kire as the first Vice-Chairman (1957–1967), and Late Joseph Jasokie as the first elected Chairman (1982–1983).
In 2005, Kohima's first municipality was formed under the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001, with 19 elected councillors. The
Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) remains in a transitional phase, with its powers and functions under the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act yet to be fully transferred by state government departments.
Currently, KMC governs 19 wards, covering nearly 11 sq. km (17% of the greater Kohima planning area) with a population of 98,000 as per the 2011 census.
Demographics
Census data
As of 2011, Kohima had a population of 99,039 of which males and females were 51,626 and 47,413 respectively. Kohima has an average literacy rate of 90.76%, higher than the national average of 76.55%.
Religion
The major religion in Kohima is
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
which is practised by 80.22% of the population. Other religions includes
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
(16.09%),
Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
(3.06%) and
Buddhism
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
(0.45%).
Economy

Tourism
Tourism plays an important role in the city's economy. The number of tourists visiting Kohima has been increasing significantly each year.
Cityscape
Historical sites

*Kohima War Cemetery
Kohima War Cemetery is a memorial dedicated to soldiers of the 2nd British Division of the Allied Forces who died in the Second World War at Kohima in April 1944. There are 1,420 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War at this cemetery.
Parks
*Sakhrie Park
Sakhrie Park is a recreational park located at
Middle Tsiepfü Tsiepfhe Ward (Middle AG) located between the
Asian Highway 1 and the Tsiepfü Tsiepfhe Road (AG).
*Sokhriezie Park
Sokhriezie Park is a centrally located lake that sits below the PHQ Junction.
*Kohima Botanical Garden
Kohima Botanical Garden is located at
New Ministers' Hill Ward and is looked after by the
Nagaland Forest Department.
Culture
Cultural centers
The
Kohima Capital Cultural Center is a cultural center which has a multipurpose hall that provides various facilities for its citizens. The
Regional Centre of Excellence for Music & Performing Arts (RCEMPA) is a contemporary arts and music centre located in
Jotsoma, about west of the city centre.
Events and Festivals
*NAJ Cosfest
The NAJ Cosfest is an ''
Otaku''-based cosplay festival held every year in the month of July. The annual event was started in 2013 and is organized by the Nagaland Anime Junkies. The cosfest is one of the biggest cosplay festivals in
North East India.
*Hornbill Festival
The Hornbill Festival is the biggest annual festival in North East India. The festival is held every year from 1 to 10 December with the purpose to promote the richness of the Naga heritage and traditions. The main venue is located at the
Kisama Heritage Village, located south of the city centre.
Fashion
The inhabitants of Kohima have been historically characterized as "fashion-conscious". Numerous fashion stores are located across the city and a number of fashion related events are held annually. The southern wards starting from Main Town and beyond are the most fashionable areas of Kohima.
Museums
The
Nagaland State Museum is located in
Bayavü Hill and displays a comprehensive collection of artefacts including ancient sculptures, traditional dresses, inscriptions of the Naga people.
Religious sites

The
Mary Help of Christians Cathedral or commonly known as the Kohima Cathedral is a prominent landmark in Kohima. The 16 feet high carved wood crucifix is one of Asia's largest crosses. It is the biggest Catholic church in Nagaland and was constructed in 1998.
There are numerous Protestant churches in Kohima.
Kohima Ao Baptist Church and
Kohima Lotha Baptist Church are some of the biggest churches in Kohima.
The
Kohima Jain Temple, the oldest
Jain temple in North East India was established in 1920.
Media
The most widely circulated newspapers in Kohima are ''
The Morung Express'', ''
Nagaland Post'', ''
Eastern Mirror'', ''
Nagaland Page'' and the local newspaper ''
Capi''. The city was also home to the now defunct ''
Kewhira Dielie'', the first modern newspaper published from Nagaland.
Kohima is home to several television networks: Nagaland Cornerstone TV,
Doordarshan Kendra Kohima which operates the
DD Nagaland, etc.
State-owned
All India Radio
All India Radio (AIR), also known as Akashvani (), is India's state-owned public broadcasting, public radio broadcaster. Founded in 1936, it operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Ministry of Information and Broa ...
has a local station in Kohima, which transmits various programs of mass interest like ''
AIR FM Tragopan'', etc.
Transportation
The major public transportation in Kohima are buses and taxis.
Airports
Kohima is served by the
Dimapur Airport located in
Chümoukedima–
Dimapur, from the city centre of Kohima. The currently under construction
Kohima Chiethu Airport once completed will serve as the main airport for the Greater Kohima Metropolitan Area.
Roadways
Kohima is connected by road with
NH 2 and
NH 29 which pass through the city. The
Dimapur–Kohima Highway is a tolled highway connecting Kohima with Dimapur.
Highways passing through Kohima
*
Asian Highway 1:
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
– Kohima –
Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
*
Asian Highway 2:
Denpasar
Denpasar (; Balinese script, Balinese: ᬤᬾᬦ᭄ᬧᬲᬃ, ''Dénpasar'') is the capital city of the province of Bali, Indonesia.
Denpasar is the largest city in the Lesser Sunda Islands and the second largest city in Eastern Indonesia after ...
– Kohima -
Khosravi
* :
Dibrugarh (Assam) – Kohima –
Tuipang (Mizoram)
* :
Dabaka (Assam) – Kohima –
Jessami (Manipur)
Rail
Kohima is not connected with the rail network. The nearest railway stations are the
Chümoukedima Shokhüvi Railway Station and the
Dimapur Railway Station. An extension of the railway line from Dimapur to Kohima was proposed and surveyed in 2009. Due to a dispute over land acquisition the track was resurveyed and an alternative alignment was proposed in 2013 and is expected to be completed by 2026. Once completed the
Kohima Zubza Railway Station on the
Dhansiri–Zubza Line will serve as the main railway station of Kohima.
Cycling
Regardless of its hilly terrain,
cycling
Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...
has become an increasingly popular way to get in and around Kohima. A
bicycle-sharing system
A bicycle-sharing system, bike share program, public bicycle scheme, or public bike share (PBS) scheme, is a shared transport service where bicycles are available for shared use by individuals at low cost.
The programmes themselves include both ...
was launched in September 2020.
Education
Kohima is home to some of the most prestigious educational institutions in Nagaland.
Universities and Colleges
*
Nagaland Institute of Medical Science and Research
*
Model Christian College
*
Alder College
*
Baptist College
*
Capital College of Higher Education
*
Kohima College
*
Mount Olive College
*
Oriental College
*
Kros College
*
Modern College
*
Kohima Law College
*
Don Bosco College, Kohima
The following are major Universities and Colleges located in the Greater Kohima Metropolitan Area:
*
St. Joseph's College,
Jakhama
*
Kohima Science College,
Jotsoma
*
Sazolie College, Jotsoma
*
Japfü Christian College,
Kigwema
*
Nagaland University, Meriema Campus
Notable secondary schools
*
Ministers' Hill Baptist Higher Secondary School
*
Little Flower Higher Secondary School
*
Mezhür Higher Secondary School
*
Rüzhükhrie Government Higher Secondary School
*
Fernwood School
*
G. Rio School
*
Dainty Buds School
*
Vineyard School
*
Northfield School
*
Coraggio School
*
Stella Higher Secondary School
*
Chandmari Higher Secondary School
*
Mount Sinai Higher Secondary School
*
Bethel Higher Secondary School
Sports
Indira Gandhi Stadium, inaugurated in 2003 is the multipurpose stadium of the city. It includes a
running track and a
football field.
Football
Kohima is home to
Kohima Komets, an
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
club that plays in the top division
Nagaland Premier League.
Wrestling
The
Naga wrestling enjoys widespread popularity in Kohima with people from all over Nagaland coming to witness the
Naga Wrestling Championship held every two years at
Khuochiezie (Kohima Local Ground) located in the heart of Kohima. The first Naga Wrestling Tournament was held in Kohima in 1971.
Notable people
See also
*
Outline of Kohima
*
Municipal Wards of Kohima
*
Index of Kohima-related articles
References
Further reading
* From
Google Books
Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical charac ...
.
*
External links
Official websiteKohima Smart City(Official website)
{{Authority control
Cities and towns in Kohima district
Hill stations in Nagaland
Populated places established in 1878
1878 establishments
Indian capital cities
Tourism in Northeast India