History

Anjaw is an administrative district of Arunachal Pradesh with its headquarters at Hawai. It is bounded on the north by China, on the west by Lower Dibang Valley and Lohit district, on the south by Changlang district and on the east by Myanmar. It is the easternmost district in India. The administrative history of the area covered by the present Anjaw district can be traced back British India. Prior to 1914, the district was a part of Lakhimpur district. In 1914, the British Administration created the North East Frontier Tract to administer three areas, namely i) The Central and Eastern Section ii) The Lakhimpur Frontier Tract, and iii) The Western Section. A Political Officer was in-charge in each section. The area covered by present Anjaw district falls under the Central and Eastern Section. In 1919, the Central and Eastern Section was renamed as Sadiya Frontier Tract with its headquarters at Sadiya and the Western Section was re-organized as Balipara Frontier Tract. In 1943, some area of both the Sadiya Frontier Tract and the Lakhimpur Frontier Tract were carved out and Tirap Frontier Tract was formed. In 1948, under the North-East Frontier Tract (International Administration) Regulation 1948, the remaining portion of the Sadiya Frontier Tract was divided into two separate charges, namely the Abor Hills District, comprising of Adi inhabited areas and the Mishmi Hills District, comprising of Mishmi inhabited areas, each under the charge of a Political Officer with headquarters at Pasighat and Sadiya respectively. In 1952, the headquarters of the Mishmi Hills district was shifted from Sadiya to Tezu while Hayuliang was upgraded to the Headquarters of Assistant Political Officer and begun to function by 1953. According to the North East Frontier, areas (Administration) regulation, 1954, the North East Frontier Agency & the Mishmi Hills district was renamed as Lohit Frontier Division. In 1956, the Dibang Valley was constituted as a separate Sub-Division and placed under the charge of an Additional Political Officer with its headquarter at Roing which is subsequently shifted to Anini. In 1965, under the North East Frontier Agency (Administration) Regulation, 1965, the Lohit Frontier Division become Lohit district and the Political officer and Addl. Political officer were redesignated as the Deputy Commissioner and Addl. Deputy Commissioner respectively. In June 1980 Lohit district was bifurcated into two independent districts namely, Lohit District and Dibang Valley districts. On 16th February, 2004 under the Arunachal Pradesh Re-organization of Districts Amendment Bill, Anjaw district was created with its headquarters at Hawai by curving out seven administrative Circles from Lohit district.