Nagaland Minister CM Chang passes away at 78

KOHIMA

Nagaland's Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Justice & Law, Chongshen Mongkosungkum Chang passed away at Naga Hospital Authority in Kohima on October 12.

The 78-year-old minister was born on April 1, 1942, in Noksen Village, Tuensang district in Nagaland. He is survived by his six sons and five daughters.

According to the family, Chang was suffering from Typhoid and was admitted in the hospital for almost a week. During his stay in the hospital, he tested positive for COVID-19.

Chang was a retired IAS officer and worked as Secretary in the Department of Youth Resources and Sports, Government of Nagaland until his voluntary retirement in 2002.

His political career started in 2003. He unsuccessfully contested the 2003 Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) General Election from Noksen constituency. He lost for the second time in the 2008 Assembly election.

In 2009, he was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha from the Nagaland Lok Sabha constituency. In the 2013 NLA elections, he was elected from 51/Noksen (Vidhan Sabha constituency) and became the Minister of Education.

He contested 2003, 2008, 2013 general elections and 2009 Lok Sabha election from Naga People's Front (NPF) party ticket.

In 2018, he joined the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and won the Assembly election from Noksen (Vidhan Sabha constituency). He was appointed the Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate change and Justice & Law in the Neiphiu Rio-led government.

The actual cause of death of the Minister is yet to be ascertained.