Tashi Namgyal

For the 16th century Tibetan Buddhist scholar, see Dakpo Tashi Namgyal.

Tashi Namgyal (Sikkimese: བཀྲ་ཤིས་རྣམ་རྒྱལ་; Wylie: Bkra-shis Rnam-rgyal) (26 October 1893 – 2 December 1963) was the ruling Chogyal (King) of Sikkim from 1914 to 1963. He was the son of Thutob Namgyal. He was the first independent king of Sikkim.

Tashi Namgyal
The 11th Chogyal
Tashi Namgyal in 1938
Chogyal of Sikkim
Reign	5 December 1914 – 2 December 1963
Predecessor	Sidkeong Tulku
Successor	Palden Thondup
Born	(1893-10-26)26 October 1893 Tibet, Qing dynasty
Died	2 December 1963(1963-12-02) (aged 70) Gangtok, Kingdom of Sikkim
Spouse	Kunzang Dechen
Issue	Palden Thondup
House	Namgyal dynasty
Father	Thutob Namgyal
Mother	Yeshay Dolma
Religion	Buddhism
Military career
Allegiance	Kingdom of Sikkim
Years of service	1914 - 1963

Tashi Namgyal pictured with SS-Sturmbannführer Ernst Schäfer, leader of the 1938–1939 German expedition to Tibet

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.^[1] Born in Tibet 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.^[1] 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.^[2] 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.^[3] 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.^{[citation needed]}

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, 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.^[4]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Tashi Namgyal
8. Tenzing Namgyal, 6th Maharaja of Sikkim 4. Tsugphud Namgyal, 7th Maharaja of Sikkim 9. Anyo Karwang 2. Sir Thutob Namgyal, 9th Maharaja of Sikkim 5. Maharani Menchi 1. Tashi Namgyal, 11th Maharaja of Sikkim 6. Shiafe Uthok, of the Lhading House of Lhasa 3. Yeshay Dolma

See also

• Tashi Namgyal Academy

References

1. McKay, Alex (November 2004). "The indigenisation of western medicine in Sikkim" (PDF). Bulletin of Tibetology. 40 (2). Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.: 35. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
2. Sack, John (1959). Report from Practically Nowhere. New York: Curtis Publishing Company. p. 221.
3. Sack, John (1959). Report from Practically Nowhere. New York: Curtis Publishing Company. pp. 221–222.
4. "No. 34633". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 June 1939. p. 3855.

Tashi Namgyal Namgyal Dynasty Born: 26 October 1893 Died: 2 December 1963
Regnal titles
Preceded by Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal	Chogyal of Sikkim 1914–1963	Succeeded by Palden Thondup Namgyal