On June 26, two journalists from Mizoram, H.C. Vanlalruata and Isaac Zoramsanga, made history by becoming the first Mizo journalists to be part of a team that won an International Emmy Award. The duo served as field producers for the BBC’s short-form documentary titled “Myanmar’s Civil War”, which won Outstanding Continuing News Coverage – Short Form at the 46th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards, presented by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS).
The 6.5-minute documentary, filmed during a ten-day reporting trip in Chin State, western Myanmar, offers rare ground-level access to zones where ethnic resistance groups have pushed back against Myanmar’s military junta.
It documents not only their territorial gains but also chilling accounts of torture, abduction, and killings—brutal tactics used by the junta to silence resistance and deter youth from joining the armed struggle.
Vanlalruata and Zoramsanga played a key role in enabling access and local support during the shoot, a contribution that helped the team report from some of the most inaccessible and volatile regions in the conflict.
EastMojo spoke to the two journalists to trace the journeys that brought them to this milestone.
H.C. Vanlalruata: The Relentless Newsman
Veteran journalist H.C. Vanlalruata first found his calling in journalism in the 1980s while still in college. He began as a news editor at Aw Thar Daily, driven by a dream he’d nurtured since high school. “When they asked us our ambition in life, most of my classmates said doctor or pastor. I said journalist,” he recalled.
A pivotal influence in his life was a young man named Vanlalroa, whom his father had taken in. Though Vanlalroa couldn’t read or write English, he had spent years in Shillong and learned to speak fluent English from an American hippie and martial artist. The two worked together on the family farm, conversing only in English. This unusual friendship helped Vanlalruata develop the fluency that would later become crucial in his journalism career.
After graduating, Vanlalruata applied to be an English teacher at a deficit school and impressed the board during the interview. But despite being the most qualified candidate, the job was given to someone with a minister’s recommendation letter. “It was then I decided I would never work a government job. I wanted to fix the system through journalism.”
In 1985, he joined Senhri Weekly, where he helped build Mizoram’s first investigative paper. Their bold journalism led to the suspension of over 30 government officers. “We wrote without fear. Our lives were sometimes in danger, and police had to provide us with security. We were even on underground hit lists. With no RTI at the time, we often had to steal government files to uncover the truth.”
During the rambuai (insurgency), he said, “We were caught between the Indian Army and the MNF underground. Our editor was jailed, but he continued to write editorials from prison.”
Vanlalruata went on to become one of the most respected bilingual journalists in Mizoram. His fearless column in Vanglaini remains one of the most widely read, known for taking on powerful institutions, including the government, the church, and even the influential Young Mizo Association (YMA).
Over the years, he also contributed to national publications like The Telegraph, The Northeastern, Sunday Magazine Kolkata, and worked as a part-time correspondent for PTI before becoming the first full-time Mizo correspondent in an English news house in 1997. He retired from PTI in 2019 and currently writes for the Times of India as a part-time correspondent.
Asked if he has any regrets, Vanlalruata said, “I have no regrets because my work is my passion. But sometimes I feel for my family. Journalism doesn’t pay well, and I often get compared to others from my batch who are rich now. I’m not rich, and I don’t get many awards or profiles, but even today, I wouldn’t spare a day without writing news.”
Isaac Zoramsanga: The Next Generation Storyteller
Despite a three-decade age gap, Isaac Zoramsanga and H.C. Vanlalruata became close acquaintances during their time working together at All India Radio. Their collaboration and shared values eventually led them to work as field producers on the Emmy-winning documentary.
Zoramsanga, an editor at All India Radio and contributor to The Print, brings a younger voice and modern perspective to the field. He has also worked with Northeast Live, based out of Guwahati.
Though originally interested in graphic design and videography, his interest shifted during an internship with LPS News while pursuing a Master’s in Journalism and Mass Communication. “I worked closely with reporter V. Zoramthara and started enjoying reporting. As video journalists, we learned everything from reporting to editing, it was really engaging.”
Zoramsanga recalled one of the more difficult periods of his career — July 26, 2021 — when border clashes broke out between Mizoram and Assam. “People accused Northeast Live of being biased because it was Guwahati-based. We received criticism from all sides. Over time, people moved on, but as a journalist, you learn that government access can be difficult, and that’s a major challenge for young reporters.”
Now with over seven years of experience, Zoramsanga sees his current role as News Editor at All India Radio as a chance to amplify underrepresented voices. “It is my goal now to work on impactful stories and help voices be heard through reports submitted by freelancers for AIR,” he said.
He also reflected on the changing media landscape. “Nowadays, since everything is easy through social media, we need to revive the functioning of Mizoram’s mainstream media. Without letting go of our existing strengths, we need to adjust to new technological advancements. Despite how easy things seem now, people still pay attention to what professional journalists say. We need to adapt to new media and the changing times as newsmen.”
Among his proudest moments, aside from the Emmy win, was working on a 2022 documentary for The Quint titled “What Mizoram Can Teach the Rest of India About Traffic Discipline.” “It was valued by a lot of people and gave a good name to Mizoram,” he said. “I was happy I could represent Mizoram’s positive side.”
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