DIMAPUR, MARCH 19 (MExN): The North East India Christian Council (NEICC) has appointed Rev. Dr. Meyu Changkiri as its General Secretary for the term 2026–2030. With this appointment, he becomes the first Naga to serve as the full-time General Secretary of the Council since its formation in 1937.
Rev. Dr. Changkiri is currently serving as Pastor of Ao Baptist Arogo, Shillong, where he has ministered for the past 18 years. His pastoral work has included preaching, teaching, mentoring, and strengthening the spiritual life of the church community.
He is also engaged in theological education and Christian leadership in the region. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Governors of Clark Theological College, Aolijen, Mokokchung, is a member of the NEICC Trust Management Committee, and Treasurer of Serving in Mission (North East India), part of Serving in Mission (SIM), an international interdenominational evangelical mission agency.
According to the release, Rev. Dr. Changkiri will be formally installed during the 5th Biennial Assembly of NEICC to be hosted by the Garo Baptist Convention at Resubelpara near Tura, Meghalaya, from May 21 to 24, 2026. The formal handing over of charge is scheduled for July 1, 2026.
The NEICC traces its origin to the formation of the Assam Christian Council in Shillong in 1937, established by church leaders and mission organisations to strengthen Christian fellowship and cooperation in the region. Over the years, the Council has contributed to education and peace-building initiatives.
In 1952, the Council established Union Christian College (UCC) at Barapani, Meghalaya, which currently serves more than a thousand students across Arts, Commerce and Science streams in a co-educational residential setting. In 2016, it also opened UCC Higher Secondary School offering classes from Nursery to Class XII. The Council’s Peace Centre functions as a platform for research, documentation and training on issues of peace, reconciliation and social engagement in the Northeast.
NEICC comprises 37 member churches and 18 associate units across Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura, including Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran and other Protestant traditions. Among its members are the Nagaland Baptist Church Council and the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India. The Council is affiliated with the National Council of Churches in India and serves as a platform for consultation, cooperation and common Christian witness in the region.
