The Unique Coffin Ministry of Mizoram
PERCHED atop rocky mountains, Mizoram offers breathtaking landscapes that are mesmerizing to travellers. Yet, beyond its natural beauty, the state holds a deeply compassionate peculiarity - something rarely found anywhere else in the world.
For travellers landing at Mizoram’s Lengpui Airport, the first introduction to this unique cultural warmth often comes in the form of a dedicated airport chaplain. For nearly three decades, this ministry has been devoted to helping, consoling, and praying for travellers, particularly those arriving on the most painful journeys: accompanying the mortal remains of their loved ones.
Whenever a coffin arrives at Lengpui Airport, the chaplain steps forward to hold a brief fellowship right at the arrival terminal. He reads comforting Bible verses and offers prayers for the bereaved families and relatives. In heartbreaking instances where no one is present to receive the deceased, the chaplain himself steps in, tenderly covering the coffin with a traditional Mizo shawl to ensure the departed is honoured.
On 11 March 2026 at 1:48 PM, Major Biakthuama read from John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” He summed up the passage beautifully: “There is peace if we have Christ. If we have Christ, that is all we need.” He also quoted from Ephesians 2:6, sharing that God has “raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. In his short message and prayer, the Major deeply touched our hearts and brought a sense of true peace to our minds.
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| The body was respectfully covered with a traditional Zou Puanlaisan shawl by the Zou Welfare Aizawl, along with Nu Zovi (Pu H. Thanga) and her sisters on 11 March 2026 . |
This extraordinary airport chaplaincy began alongside the inauguration of Lengpui Airport on 12 December 1998. From its very inception, the ministry has been solely undertaken and funded by the Salvation Army Mizoram Territory.
The current chaplain carrying the mantle of this heavy yet vital service is Major K. Biakthuama, who is now 71 years old.
Major Biakthuama’s journey into the ministry began decades ago when he completed a two-year theological programme at the Salvation Army Training College in Kolasib, Mizoram, spanning from 1985 to 1987. He was ordained as a minister in April 1987 and dedicated his life to the church, eventually retiring with the rank of Major in 2019 at the age of 63.
Though officially retired, his calling never ended. After briefly serving in a temporary capacity late last year October-November, he was officially re-employed as the airport chaplain in March of this year. While his wife, his seven children (six daughters and one son), and his grandchildren all live healthily in the capital city of Aizawl, the Major chooses to rent a house in Lengpui to be right beside his station. Because Lengpui Airport is located about 32 km away from Aizawl, living locally ensures he can serve the people immediately during their darkest hours.
The ministry’s importance has grown immeasurably in recent years due to geopolitical and regional crises. It is undeniable that the Chin, Kuki, Mizo, Zomi, Kachin, and Karen communities belong to the exact same stock. Although the Zo people are today divided by three international boundaries, it was not so before India’s independence, and their deep-rooted kinship remains unbroken. Across the border, Myanmar has been reeling under turbulent violence between the Military Junta (SAC) forces and PDF civilian fighters since the February 2021 military coup. As a result, a large number of Myanmar’s Zo people have sought refuge in Mizoram, which currently houses a bulk of their cousins.
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| Zou leaders visited Sye Lalbawi at Safdarjung Hospital on 8 March 2026. |
Closer to home, the Meitei-Kuki ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in May 2023 has left a devastating toll. So far, over 228 Kuki-Zo lives have been lost, 200 villages burned, 7,000 houses destroyed, and more than 360 churches andsynagogues razed. Over 41,425 Kuki-Zo individuals have been displaced, with many landing in Mizoram.
Once, the Kuki-Zo people loved Imphal city, but today it has become a valley of death; no Kuki-Zos live in this Meitei-dominated city anymore. For the Kuki-Zos, Imphal is now the capital of death, and they can no longer access its hospitals or airport. Consequently, Aizawl has become the safest city and the “Jerusalem” for all Zo people living across India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.
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passed away after a prolonged illness at Safdarjung Hospital on March 9 and was finally laid to rest on March 12. |
Though Aizawl is physically a long distance away: taking a minimum of 12 hours by road to travel from Lamka, it is emotionally much closer to the hearts of Manipur’s Kuki-Zos. Because of this displacement, flight and train services via Mizoram have become absolutely inevitable for the Zo people, leading to a massive increase in passenger footfall. Many who have succumbed to medical illnesses or unfortunate circumstances while away from home are brought back through this route. No matter who they are, Major Biakthuama is there to meet their coffins with a short scripture reading and a prayer of solace.
Remarkably, this essential service receives no financial assistance from the state government, nor does it receive funding from commercial airlines like IndiGo. It remains entirely sponsored by the Salvation Army, relying purely on faith, community support, and the devotion of its chaplain.
Reflecting
on his profound daily duty, Major Biakthuama simply smiles and says:
“I have devotional prayers every morning before I begin my work. Sharing the word of God and praying for others - that is my job.”
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