The
Hmar people are credited to be the first settlers of Champhai, until they left the place and the
Ralte people came in to later occupy it. Old stone structures, such as the
Sikpui Lung (a monolith associated with a particular festival of the
Hmar people) can still be found to this day. The inscription on the monolith reads: :HE LUNG HI HMANLAI HMAR HO SIKPUI A NI TIN KEINI KUM 28.12.1918 A HIAN KAN AWM TA. ZAHULA SAILO ---- Rough Translation: :
This is the stone erected by the Hmars in the past to commemorate Sikpui, and we have now occupied this place from 28.2.1918, Zahula Sailo Champhai was the headquarters of
Lalbura Sailo, son of
Vanhnuailiana, a Mizo Chief against whom the British Expedition of 1871–72 was directed. It was accorded the status of a fort during the
British period. The Champhai Valley was once a lake and was gradually silted to obliterate the lake. The soil of the plain was still uncultivated during the
Lushai Expedition of 1872. Irrigated rice cultivation started in Champhai in the year 1898 encouraged by the
British Colonial Authorities to supply rice for their soldiers and laborers. As of 1922, there was only 1 shop in Champhai. On 1 March 1966, the
Mizo National Front declared independence of Mizos unilaterally and attacked the
Assam Rifles post at Champhai. In March 1988, Champhai hosted the First Zomi Convention, organised by
Thenphunga Sailo in conjunction with T. Gougin of the
Zomi National Congress in Manipur. The meeting saw the birth of
Zo Reunification Organisation (ZORO). == Governance ==