Tashi Namgyal (
Sikkimese: ;
Wylie: ''Bkra-shis Rnam-rgyal'') (26 October 1893 – 2 December 1963) was the ruling
Chogyal
The Chogyal ("Dharma Kings", ) were the monarchs of the former Kingdom of Sikkim, which belonged to the Namgyal dynasty, . The Chogyal was the absolute monarch of Sikkim from 1642 to 1973, and the constitutional monarch from 1973 to 1975, wh ...
(King) of
Sikkim
Sikkim ( ; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Koshi Province of Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the ...
from 1914 to 1963. He was the son of
Thutob Namgyal. He was the first independent king of
Sikkim
Sikkim ( ; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Koshi Province of Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the ...
.
Biography
Namgyal was the 11th ruler of the
Namgyal dynasty of Sikkim, succeeding his half brother
Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal, who had ruled from February to December 1914 - when he died, suddenly, under mysterious circumstances.
Born in
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
and crowned by the
13th Dalai Lama,
Thubten Gyatso, he was a strong advocate for closer links with India.
He was educated in
St. Paul's School, Darjeeling.
He was married in October 1918 to
Kunzang Dechen, and they had 3 sons and 3 daughters. The eldest son died in a plane crash during World War Two. On his death he was succeeded as Chogyal by his second son
Palden Thondup Namgyal.
During his reign, he was known for land reform and free elections. He also favoured closer links between Sikkim, India and Tibet. Many people attribute his death to Indian agents.
About a decade after his death, his son
Palden Thondup Namgyal, the incumbent hereditary Chogyal, was formally deposed. Prime Minister Lendup Dorji appealed to India to change the status of Sikkim from protectorate to statehood. On 16 May 1975, Sikkim was officially made the 22nd state of India.
Honours
*
Delhi Durbar Medal, ''11 December 1911''.
*CIE:
Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire, ''1 January 1918''.
*KCIE:
Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire, ''1 January 1923''.
*
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V.
Issue
This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver Ju ...
, ''6 May 1935''.
*
King George VI Coronation Medal, ''12 May 1937''.
*KCSI:
Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India, ''8 June 1939''.
Ancestry
See also
*
Tashi Namgyal Academy
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Namgyal, Tashi
Monarchs of Sikkim
1893 births
1963 deaths
Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India
Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
St. Paul's School, Darjeeling alumni