author
1861–1942
Best known for his work in the Lushai Hills on the eastern frontier of British India, this soldier-administrator also wrote valuable studies of Mizo life, language, and custom. His books remain of interest for readers exploring the history and ethnography of the region.
by John Shakespear
Born on September 1, 1861, in British India, John Shakespear was educated at Wellington College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst before joining the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment. He later became closely associated with the Lushai Hills, where he served in both military and administrative roles.
He is remembered as the first Superintendent of the British Lushai Hills, serving from 1891 to 1896, and for later service in the same region. Alongside his official career, he wrote about the peoples of the area and is noted as an author as well as an officer in the Indian Political Service.
For modern readers, Shakespear's name is most closely linked with early English-language writing on the Lushai, or Mizo, world. His work reflects the outlook of the colonial period, but it also preserves details on society, language, and customs that have continued to interest historians and scholars.