SIKKIM: CHIEF MINISTER PAWAN CHAMLING COMPLETES 25 GLORIOUS YEARS IN OFFICE

Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on April 28 completes uninterrupted 25 years in the office of Chief Minister of the Himalayan state and appears a contented man. He has set a new record by becoming the longest serving Chief Minister in the country by breaking the record of the former Chief Minister of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu.

The founding president of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front swore in as the Chief Minister of Sikkim on December 12, 1994. With the popular slogan “New Sikkim – Happy Sikkim”, Chamling initiated various policies and programmes to transform the Himalayan state of Sikkim.

He has been into power for the consecutive fifth term, 1994-99; 1999-2004; 2004-2009; 2009-2014; 2014-2019. 68 years old Chamling has lived a life a farmer, revolutionary poet, social worker and a politician. He was born on September 22, 1950 at Yangang, South Sikkim to Asha Rani Chamling and Lt. Aash Bahadur. He is a matriculate and is largely self educated.

The Chief Minister Chamling has some interesting facts  such as he is the fifth Chief Minister of Sikkim and also the longest standing Chief Minister in India, having won the legislative assembly elections for 5 terms in a row and has set up a record in the political history in India.

Pawan Chamling is the President of Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF). The SDF has formed the Government in Sikkim consecutively by winning the Sikkim Legislative elections in 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014.

He is also a born poet and a social worker who weaved the poems of idealism and human suffering and tried to battle the odds to ensure justice to the poor and downtrodden before he became active in politics.

Chamling before he started his political career,  worked as a first class contractor. Later at the age of 22, In 1973, he actively participated in the politics which heralded a new era of democracy in Sikkim with its merger with the Indian Union. In 1975, he became the block President of Youth Congress and was elected as Secretary of Prajatantra Congress in 1978 and in 1983 he became an elected President of Yangang Gram Panchayat Unit unopposed.

Pawan Chamling became a primary member of Sikkim Sangram Parishad Party led by the former Chief Minister, N.B. Bhandari in the year 1985. In the year 1985, Pawan Chamling became the member of Sikkim Legislative Assembly and was appointed as Chairman of Sikkim Distilleries Ltd.

He was re-elected to Sikkim Legislative Assembly in 1989 from Damthang constituency with the highest vote of 97% and was inducted as Minister of Information and Public Relation and Industries.

On 9th September 1992 Pawan Chamling created a sensation in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly by searching for democracy with a lighted candle as a protest against the Government the then.

Pawan Chamling went underground from 19th June to 22nd September 1993 and conducted political activities from there. On 4th March 1993, Pawan Chamling formed the Sikkim Democratic Front Party and since then he has been unanimously elected as the President till today.

He edits and publishes Nirman a literary magazine which he founded in 1977 from Yangang. Later on, a publication unit under the name of Nirman Prakashan started publishing the literary magazine “NIRMAN” for the last 19 years. The Nirman Publication has so far published 100 books by 55 numbers of fresh as well as well-known writers. He is known by his literary name Pawan Chamling ‘Kiran’. He has received many awards for his poetry and contribution to literature and its development.

Pawan Chamling has received more than 60 awards, honours and prizes from national and International agencies and institutions since 1987 to till date.

Pawan Chamling has been conferred with many national and International literary honours, awards, and prizes. He was conferred with ‘Chintan Puraskar’ from Sikkim Sahitya Parishad in 1987 for one of his first poem ‘Maile Samjeka Samjhana Kati Kati Chan’; Poets’ Foundation Award, Kolkata (2002); ’Bhanu Puraskar’ in 2010 as recognition for his commendable contribution to Nepali literature during the 196th Bhanu Jayanti celebrations from Nepali Sahitya Parishad; Poets Foundation Award for his lifetime achievement in literature in 2001 from Poets Foundation Kolkata; Kalinga Award by KIIT University, a deemed university in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha in 2010; Yug Kavi Siddhicharan Award, one of the Nepal’s prestigious literary award. The award was bestowed upon him by Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli for his commendable contributions in promoting Nepali literature in India.

For emotional integration of Sikkim with India, Pawan Chamling was conferred with ‘Bharat Shiromani Award’, one of India’s coveted non-governmental awards in 1997 which was presented by the then Vice President of India, K R Narayanan at New Delhi. In the same year (1997), He was also conferred with the Secular India Harmony Award to the Chief Minister by New Delhi-based United Children’s Movement.

Pawan Chamling was chosen as the most dedicated Chief Minster towards the environment and sustainable development during the nationwide survey conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment in 1998. He was voted as the Greenest Chief Minister.

He was also awarded many awards viz, Man of the Year award (1998) presented by Biographical Institute, USA for “his outstanding accomplishment to date and the noble example he has set for this peer and entire community”; The Man of Dedication (1999); Manav Seva Purashkar (1999) presented by Institute of Economic Studies, New Delhi for his “rare vision in bringing about far-reaching changes in the quality of life for poor championing the cause of the Sikkimese people and downtrodden specially upliftment of women rights and child welfare.

CM Chamling has been conferred with many International honours, awards, recognition and prizes. He received the World Laureate from American Biographical Institute (ABI) in recognition of his ‘tremendous contributions that have left a deep impression on the society and his selfless dedication towards improving the socio-economic condition of his people’. The ABI is based in North Carolina, USA and has chosen him as ‘one of the 1000 World Leaders of Influences’. The International Biographic Centre (IBC) Cambridge, London a renowned biographical reference book publisher nominated Pawan Chamling as the ‘International Man of the Millennium 1999’. The same organization chose him as ‘2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century’. He is also a recipient of ‘Rising Personalities of India Award’ from USA based organization ‘International Penguin Publishing House’ in recognition of his exceptional caliber and outstanding performance in his chosen area of activity. International NGO Universal Peace Federation (UPF) dedicated to World Peace conferred its highest award ‘Leadership and Good Governance’ to Pawan Chamling in 2009. This was also to recognize his emergence as a champion of democratic rights for the downtrodden people of Sikkim and the custodian of effective, people-centric administration. The Universal Peace Foundation in 2010 also felicitated Pawan Chamling with International Ambassador for Peace Award 2010 on the eve of International Day of Peace. Pawan Chamling was also conferred with the ‘Thekong Ambassador for Unity and Peace Award’ on 2010 by the Pang Lhabsol celebration committee in recognition of his ‘unparalleled contribution in maintaining peace and tranquil environment in the State through his good governance’. The award is given only once in 10 years. The India International Friendship Society (IIFS) conferred its ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ to Pawan Chamling marking his numerous achievements in diverse fields like maintenance of peace, enhancing literature, conservation of environment and others.

Pawan Chamling received ‘Balraj Sahani National Award’ in 1995 by Shimla-based All India Artists Association for his distinctive contribution to cause of weak and ‘Manav Seva Puraskar’ from Institute of Economic Studies in 2009; Mother Teresa Lifetime Achievement Award’ as renowned administrator of the year 2009 by Mother Teresa’s International & Millennium Awards committee; Bharat Asmita Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar’ 2012 from MIT Group of Institutions recognizing his longstanding, excellent and selfless service to the State and nation.

Chamling for his various environmental initiatives and innovative ideas, he was invited by the then California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for Global Summit on Climate Change at Los Angeles.

He was also conferred with Doctor of Philosophy (honoris causa) by Sikkim Manipal University in 2003. The doctorate was conferred by the university in recognition of ‘his vision, leadership, and contribution in the field of social upliftment of weaker sections, backward classes and all round development of Sikkim’.

Chamling was also conferred with Doctor of Philosophy (honoris causa) from Sikkim University in 2017 and SRM University. Sikkim in 2017. The 1st Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Life Time Achievement Honour in Public Service to Pawan Kumar Chamling, Chief Minister of Sikkim was presented by the President Pranab Mukherjee at the function held at Jaipur on 15th May, 2017.

The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI), New Delhi presented the Sustainable Development Leadership Award to Pawan Chamling in recognition of his vision and leadership in environment and sustainable development leading to the establishment of Sikkim as the first and only organic state. The Award consisted of citation and Plaque which was handed over by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee at Vigyan Bhawan on October 6, 2016.

The Organic Mission of Sikkim was started by Pawan Chamling in the year 2003 and the state has been successful in being declared as the first Organic State of India on January 18th, 2016 by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. Chief Minister Pawan Chamling was honored with ‘One Word Award’ for his exemplary work in the field of Organic farming on September 8,2017 at Legau on the occasion of the One World Festival.

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling was bestowed with the title,‘ Ambassador of Organic Himalaya and Organic World’ for transforming Sikkim into the first fully organic state in the world on the occasion of 19th Organic world Congress held at New Delhi on 9 November,2017