Lawngtlai

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Lawngtlai is a town in the southern part of Mizoram, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Lawngtlai district and is home to the Pawi people, also known as the Hakha Chin. The town celebrates local indigenous festivals such as Hlukhla Kut, similar to Chapchar Kut in the rest of Mizoram.

Lawngtlai was founded in 1880 by Haihmunga Hlawncheu, a Lai chief, at a place now called Vengpui. It was named after him seizing a boat that drifted down the Kaladan River; Lawngtlai means “seized boat” in Lai.

According to the 2011 census, Lawngtlai has 20,830 residents (10,159 males and 10,171 females). Children aged 0–6 years total 3,122 (about 15%). The overall sex ratio is 954 females per 1,000 males, and the child sex ratio is 971. The literacy rate is 95.66% (males 96.97%, females 94.28%).

For travel, a helicopter service by Pawan Hans connects Lawngtlai with Aizawl, the state capital. The road distance to Aizawl is about 296 km, with bus and jeep services available. There are plans to extend the railway to Lawngtlai. The town will also be a hub for the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, linking Lawngtlai to Paletwa in Myanmar via a 62-km highway.