Bhadra Gogoi
Dimapur: Nagaland minister for environment, forest and climate change and justice and law CM Chang passed away at the Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) at the age of 78 on Monday.
He is survived by his wife and five sons and five daughters.
Though the exact cause of the death is not immediately known he was undergoing treatment at NHAK for some time.
Chang was elected to the Nagaland Assembly under the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party from Noksen Assembly constituency in Tuensang district in 2018.
He was a civil servant before joining active politics and took voluntary retirement as secretary in the youth resources and sports department in 2003.
Chang was elected as the Lok Sabha MP from Nagaland on the Naga People’s Front Party ticket in 2009.
Governor RN Ravi expressed shock and grief in Chang’s death.
“We shall remember him for his contribution to the state of Nagaland as an able administrator, a prominent parliamentarian, a minister and a hugely popular public figure,” Ravi said in his condolence message to Alemla Chang, wife of CM Chang.
Ravi said in his demise, the Chang community, the entire state and the country lost a tall leader.
Conveying heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, he prayed that the departed soul rest in peace.
Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee president K Therie also expressed grief at Chang’s death.
Therie said Chang was not only a people’s leader but also a cheerful and hardworking person. He dedicated his life in the service of the people as a bureaucrat and then chose to continue to serve the people through electoral politics, he said.
Therie said his passing away has created an irreparable void that cannot be filled
