Vizol Angami (16 November 1914 – 3 March 2008) was an Indian politician from
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 ...
who served as the
4th Chief Minister of Nagaland twice from February 1974 until March 1975 and November 1977 until April 1980. He became the Chief Minister of Nagaland as part of the
United Democratic Front (Nagaland).
Early life
Vizol was born on 16 November 1914 to a
Southern Angami
Southern Angami or ''Japfüphiki'' is a geo-cultural region located in the southern part of Kohima District in the state of Nagaland in India with a portion of its territory also lying across the inter-state border in the Senapati District of M ...
family from
Viswema
Viswema () is a Southern Angami Naga people, Naga village in the Kohima district, Kohima District of the Indian state of Nagaland. With a resident population of 7417, it is the second biggest village in the state and is part of the contiguous b ...
. He did his initial education from Mission High School,
Kohima
Kohima (; Tenyidie: Kewhira ()) is the capital of the North East Indian state of Nagaland. With a resident population of almost 100,000, it is the second largest city in the state. Kohima constitutes both a district and a municipality. The m ...
.
He completed his matriculation from Government High School in
Shillong
Shillong (, ) is a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, a Indian state, state in northeastern India. It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong is the list of most populous cities in India, 330th most populous city ...
.
In 1951 he graduated from
St. Edmund's College,
Shillong
Shillong (, ) is a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, a Indian state, state in northeastern India. It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong is the list of most populous cities in India, 330th most populous city ...
.
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 ...
, Vizol joined the
Royal Indian Air Force
The Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) was the aerial force of British Raj, British India and later the Dominion of India. Along with the British Indian Army, and the Royal Indian Navy, it was one of the Armed Forces of British Indian Empire.
The ...
and served as a
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
until 1946.
After the war, he served as a private teacher in
John High School, Viswema.
Vizol was one of the founding members of the
Kohima Science College
The Kohima Science College, Jotsoma (KSCJ) is an autonomous government institute for undergraduate and postgraduate science education located at Jotsoma in the state of Nagaland, India. The college was established in 1961 with science educati ...
, Jotsoma in 1961.
Naga nationalism
From 1953 to 1956, Vizol served as the Principal of the Naga National High School, Kohima. In 1956 and 1957 Vizol was imprisoned twice on political grounds.
He served as the Vice President of the
Naga People's Convention The Naga People's Convention, one of the principal instruments of statehood demand, has a historical significance for Naga history.
There are three Naga People's Conventions. The first Naga People's Convention (NPC) was convened in Kohima on August ...
from 1957 to 1960.
In 1964, Vizol nominated Muivah for the general secretary of
Naga National Council
The Naga National Council (NNC) was a political organization and a tribal government of Naga people in the erstwhile Naga Hills District, British India, Naga Hills district of Assam (present-day Nagaland) in Northeast India. It was active from th ...
at Tuzol Sokha, a forested area near Viswema village.
Vizol was elected a member of the first Nagaland Assembly in
February 1964 from the
Southern Angami II Assembly constituency
Southern Angami II is one of the 60 Legislative Assembly constituencies of Nagaland state in India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-la ...
constituency as a Naga National Democratic Party candidate (later became the
Nagaland People's Council
The Naga People's Front (NPF) is a regional political party in Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. It headed the Nagaland government with the Bharatiya Janata Party, as part of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland from 2003 to 2018. NPF ...
) and later became the leader of the Opposition
until it resigned en bloc after a ceasefire agreement was signed in September 1964. He did not contest the second state elections in
1969
1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1969th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 969th year of the 2nd millennium, the 69th year of the 20th century, and the ...
.
Peace initiatives
In 1966, Vizol was part of the five member-Nagaland Peace Commission formed in Kohima as an initiative of the
Nagaland Baptist Church Council. It passed a resolution asking government authorities and public to strengthen peace work in Nagaland. Along with Vizol Angami,
Nabakrushna Choudhuri,
Lakshmi N. Menon,
Mayangnokcha Ao
Mayangnokcha Ao (1901–1988) was an Indian educationist and writer from Nagaland and the founder, Vice President of the Naga National Council.
Early life
Hailing from the Ao Naga tribe, born in Changki village, Nagaland, he was the first gra ...
, and Nivukha were part of the commission. They met the Naga underground leaders at Chedema.
Political career
First term as Chief Minister (1974–75)
He was re-elected in
1974
Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...
from the
Southern Angami II constituency, and was unanimously chosen as the leader of
United Democratic Front party and was appointed the Chief Minister of Nagaland.
The government later collapsed due to defections. Following political instability, President’s rule was imposed in the state on March 22, 1975.
Second term as Chief Minister (1977–80)
Vizol was again re-elected uncontested to the Nagaland Assembly in
1977
Events January
* January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group.
* January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
and became the Chief Minister for the second time but it again collapsed in 1980.
Post Chief Ministership
In the subsequent general elections in
1982
Events
January
* January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00).
* January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
and
1987
Events January
* January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency.
* January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade.
* January 3 – Afghan leader ...
, Vizol failed to get elected.
In the
1989 elections, he kept out of the fray but led the newly formed Nagaland People's Council, the new name of Naga National Democratic Party, currently as
Naga People's Front
The Naga People's Front (NPF) is a regional political party in Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. It headed the Nagaland government with the Bharatiya Janata Party, as part of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland from 2003 to 2018. NPF ...
(NPF),
as the party Chairman. He contested the
1989 Lok Sabha election, but lost to Congress candidate
Shikiho Sema. Vizol was a
member of the Rajya Sabha from 1992 to 1998
and also a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Communication, Energy, Gas, Afforestation and Eco-development.
Vizol was the founding member of the Nagaland State Branch of the
Indian Red Cross Society
The Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) is a voluntary humanitarian organization to protect human life and health based in India. It is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and shares the Fundamental Principles of the Inte ...
in 1982, and served as its Chairman till he resigned in 2004, on health grounds.
He was known to lead a life of simplicity, honesty and peace loving, which he showed in his way of living to be emulated by others.
Death
Vizol died on 3 March 2008 at 07:10
Indian Standard Time
Indian Standard Time (IST), sometimes also called India Standard Time, is the time zone observed throughout the Republic of India, with a time offset of UTC+05:30. India does not observe daylight saving time or other seasonal adjustments. I ...
(
UTC+05:30), at his personal residence in
Daklane Ward, Kohima after a prolonged illness and his remains were laid to rest at Viswema.
Personal life
Vizol married Razoulhou-ü in 1948. Together the couple had two daughters and four sons.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koso, Vizol
Naga people
Chief ministers of Nagaland
1914 births
2008 deaths
Nagaland MLAs 1974–1975
Nagaland MLAs 1977–1982
Rajya Sabha members from Nagaland
Indian military personnel of World War II
People from Viswema
People from Kohima