AIZAWL, Nov 23 - C Rokhuma, who has been dubbed Mizo scientist for his numerous scientific research, died at the age of 99 at his Mission Vengthlang home here on Wednesday morning. He is survived by six children, several grand-children and great grand-children.
Rokhuma suffered from bronchitis since sometime back, but recovered from the illness recently. He complained of a severe pain on his thigh last night, but went to sleep after taking pain killers. He breathed his last around 11.30 am today, family sources said.
Born in Reiek village in 1917, he was only a Class VII passed but developed a broad outlook by reading books. After serving in the British-Indian Army during the World War II, he joined as a sub-inspector of schools in the then Mizo Hills district under Assam Government.
He formed Anti-Famine Campaign Organisation in 1951 ahead of the cyclic bamboo flowering that triggered rodent population boom that attacked paddy and ultimately led to famine. It may be recalled that the bamboo flowering-led famine resulted in the Mizoram insurgency from 1966 to 1986. He did a lot of scientific researches on the bamboo flowering and its consequent multiplication of rodents during this period.
He had invented an insecticide, which he named RK Mixture, to help orange farmers fight insects that attacked their crops. The farmers effectively used this insecticide.
He founded the Mizo Writers� Association in 1978 and took to writing. He wrote a lot of books, articles and did translations from English to Mizo.
In 1992, the Government of India awarded him Padmashree in recognition of his social works.
When the cyclic bamboo flowering was predicted to come back in the mid-2000s, he was the most sought-after person in Mizoram by local, national and international media. He gave a lot of interviews to national and international media on bamboo flowering.
Rokhuma maintained scientific observation at his home on climate change and how it affects agriculture in Mizoram. He also established a mini sanctuary adjacent to his home.
