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Born: 22nd May 1923;
Died: 30th January 1982; New
York
Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal,
Twelfth Consecrated Ruler of Sikkim, was born in Gangtok on 22nd
May 1923. The Denzong Chogyal was the second son of the late
illustrious Chogyal Sir Tashi Namgyal, who will always be
remembered as Sikkim’s gracious, enlightened and benevolent
ruler.
The Chogyal P.T. Namgyal entered
St. Joseph’s Convent, Kalimpong, at an early age of six but had
to discontinue his studies due to severe attacks of malaria. He
studied monk hood between 1931-1934 under his uncle, Lhatsun
Rimpoche, when he was recognised as the spiritual leader of
Phodong and Rumtek monasteries in succession to Chogyal Sidkeong.
In 1935 he continued his studies
at St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling, and completed his studies
at Bishop Cotton School, Simla, in 1941.
As the Heir Apparent, Gyalsay
Palden Thondup Namgyal undertook the Indian Civil Service Training
Course at Dehra Dun in 1942 and thereafter returned to Sikkim to
look after the administration so that the needs of the people
could be taken care of.
Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal
was keenly alive to the needs of the people and as Heir Apparent
had exercised direct personal supervision over various departments
of the government of Sikkim. He was his father’s advisor on
external affairs and led the Sikkim team, which negotiated the
Treaty with India in 1949-1950.
The Chogyal was connected with a
number of cultural and academic bodies in Sikkim, India and
abroad. He had been the President of the Mahabodhi Society of
India since 1953 and he led the Sikkim delegation to the Sixth
Buddhist Council that was held in Burma in 1954. He participated
in the 2500 Buddha Jayanti Celebrations in India in 1956, and was
the only member of the Working Committee from Sikkim. In March
1959 he attended the 2500 Buddha Jayanti Conference in Japan and
represented Sikkim at the Sixth World Fellowship of Buddhists
conference in Cambodia in 1961. In 1958, under the patronage of
Maharaja Sir Tashi Namgyal, he set up a center for Mahayana and
Tibetan studies at Gangtok , and this world famous centre bears the
name of “Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.”
In August 1950, he married
Sangey Deki, daughter of Yapshi Samdu Phodrang of Tibet. Sangey
died in June 1957. In March 1963 he married Miss Hope Cooke,
granddaughter and ward of Mr. and Mrs. Winchester Noyes of the
United States of America. The Chogyal had three issues from his
first wife, namely Tenzing, Wangchuk and Yangchen. His second wife
bore him Palden and Hope. After his death, Palden was crowned as
the Twelfth Chogyal of Sikkim on 4th April 1965. The
Evening Standard dated 5th April 1965 had this to say
about the Coronation.
Among the honours and
distinction the Chogyal held were: Order of the British Empire
{1947}, Padma Vibushan, India {1954} and Commander De L’ordre de
L’e’ toile Noire, France {1956}.
Unfortunately for the Chogyal,
due to serious differences which ensued with the demand of repoll
in one booth by Kazi Lhendup Dorji and Mr. Krishna Chandra Pradhan,
the Chogyal had to face the people’s agitation in 1973 launched
by the Joint Action Committee with the tacit blessings of the
Government of India. This people’s political movement
spearheaded by Kazi Lhendup Dorji finally resulted in Sikkim
joining the mainstream as 22nd State of India in 1975.
After Sikkim became an integral part of India
following which Palden Thondup Namgyal no longer remained the
Maharaja: the three hundred year old monarchy thus came to an end.
A few years later he became estranged with his wife Hope. In 1977
his eldest son Tenzing died in a car accident. Palden Thondup
Namgyal died of cancer in 1982 as a heart broken lonely man.
Whether great or small,
a day will come when one has to come to terms with one’s own
destiny. However today he is being rediscovered for some of his
far-reaching thinking and good administrative foundation that he
was able to give Sikkim. Thus his contribution is well appreciated
in the context of modern Sikkim. The onslaught of democracy in
neighbouring India was far too strong to resist and a fledgling
monarchy really did not stand a chance. So this is what history
teaches us.
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