Mizoram bids farewell to Zadingi, the fearless woman who killed a tiger with an axe

PTI, Jul 20, 2024, 7:04 PM IST

Image credit: X / @Lal_Duhoma

Aizawl: Mizoram on Saturday bid farewell to Zadingi, the fearless woman who carved her name into India’s gallantry history by killing a tiger with her axe.

Zadingi, who achieved this remarkable feat 46 years ago, passed away on Friday at the age of 72 in her native village of Buarpui in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district, near the Bangladesh border, after a prolonged battle with cancer.

She is survived by five children, and a grandchild.

Her funeral programme was held at noon in her native village during which church leaders, community leaders and several dignitaries paid their last respects, family sources said.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma also mourned the death of Zadingi and extended his deepest condolences to the bereaved family.

“Zadingi, one of the bravest Mizo women, who was worth imitating and also an awardee of India’s bravery award ‘Shaurya Chakra’ has passed away. I deeply mourn her death and extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family,” Lalduhoma said in his social media handle.

Pi Zadingi (72) of Buarpui, Mizoram, a brave Mizo mother who was awarded the Shaurya Chakra, has passed away. My condolences to the bereaved family. pic.twitter.com/rMratYH3oW

— Lalduhoma (@Lal_Duhoma) July 19, 2024

Zadingi was just 26 when she encountered the tiger while gathering firewood in a jungle near her village.

She recounted the event in an interview when she was alive, explaining that she first mistook the noise in a bush for a wild boar. Despite her calls for help, her friends, terrified by the sound, did not come to her aid.

When the tiger emerged, Zading had no time to escape. Standing just three feet from the big cat, she struck it on the forehead with her axe, killing it with a single blow. Although the tiger scratched her finger with its paw, she remained composed and managed to inform the villagers of the incident. The encounter took place on July 3, 1978.

After killing the tiger, Zadingi learned that her friends had been too scared to assist her. The mummified body of the tiger is now on display at the state museum.

Zading’s bravery earned her the Shaurya Chakra in 1980.

Her heroic act has transcended Mizoram, making her a celebrated figure beyond the state’s borders.

She remains the only recorded Mizo woman, and perhaps the only woman in India, to have killed a tiger with an axe.

Her heroic act was included in the Hindi curriculum of the Mizoram elementary syllabus for many years.

In August 2021, Zading was diagnosed with colon cancer, just a month after her husband Lalthanmawia died of cancer.

Despite undergoing two major surgeries, her condition worsened earlier this year before she finally passed away on Friday.