The North East India Christian Council (NEICC) has appointed Rev. Dr. Meyu Changkiri as its General Secretary for the term 2026-2030, making him the first Naga to hold the position on a full-time basis since the Council was founded in 1937, nearly nine decades ago.
Rev. Dr. Changkiri currently serves as Pastor of Ao Baptist Arogo in Shillong, a role he has held for 18 years. His work there has encompassed preaching, teaching, mentoring, and nurturing the congregation’s spiritual life.
Beyond his pastoral duties, Rev. Dr. Changkiri has been active in theological education and Christian leadership across the region. He chairs the Board of Governors of Clark Theological College in Aolijen, Mokokchung, one of the significant theological institutions in Nagaland; sits on the NEICC Trust Management Committee; and serves as Treasurer of Serving in Mission (North East India), the regional arm of SIM, an international interdenominational evangelical mission agency.
He 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 21 to 24 May 2026. The previous, 4th Biennial Session was held at Jalukie Town Baptist Church in Nagaland in May 2024. The formal handing over of charge is scheduled for 1 July 2026.
The NEICC traces its origins to the Assam Christian Council, established in Shillong on 23 November 1937 by church leaders and mission organisations to strengthen Christian fellowship and cooperation across the region. The Council adopted its present name, North East India Christian Council, in 1962. Over the decades, it has expanded its work well beyond fellowship into education and peace-building initiatives.
In 1952, the Council established Union Christian College (UCC) at Barapani, Meghalaya, which today serves more than a thousand students across Arts, Commerce and Science streams in a co-educational residential setting. In 2016, the Council opened UCC Higher Secondary School, offering classes from Nursery to Class XII. Its Peace Centre carries out research, documentation and training work around peace, reconciliation and social engagement in the Northeast.
The Council today brings together 37 member churches and 18 associate units spread across six states: Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura. Its membership draws from Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, evangelical and other Protestant traditions, among them the Nagaland Baptist Church Council and the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India. While member churches retain their distinct denominational identities, the NEICC enables consultation, cooperation and shared Christian witness across the region. The Council is affiliated with the National Council of Churches in India.
