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Flinder Anderson Khonglam

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Dr. Flinder Anderson Khonglam
8th Chief Minister of Meghalaya
In office
8 December 2001 – 4 March 2003
GovernorM. M. Jacob
Preceded byE.K. Mawlong
Succeeded byD. D. Lapang
ConstituencySohra
Personal details
Born(1945-02-06)6 February 1945
Malki, Shillong, British India
Died22 May 2012(2012-05-22) (aged 67)
Shillong, Meghalaya, India
Political partyIndependent
ResidenceLaitumkhrah
ProfessionPhysician

Dr. Flinder Anderson Khonglam (6 February 1945 – 22 May 2012) was an Indian politician and physician. He served as the eighth Chief Minister of Meghalaya from 2001 to 2003.[1] Khonglam was the first independent legislator to serve as the Chief Minister of any Indian state in history.[2][3]

Biography

Early life and career

Khonglam was born in Malki, Shillong, Assam (now Meghalaya) on 6 February 1945.[2] He was the oldest of eight children born to his parents, Richard N. Lyngdoh and L. Khonglam.[2] He was a doctor, working at Nazareth Hospital and several other government-owned medical facilities in the state.[2]

Political career

Khonglam represented the Sohra (Cherrapunji) constituency in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly for almost twenty years.[1][2] He first ran for the Assembly in 1978, but was defeated in the election by an opponent from the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP).[2] However, Khonglam, an independent won the 1983 state election by defeating an incumbent from the HSPDP.[2] In 1988, Khonglam lost his seat in the Assembly to an opponent from the Indian National Congress.[2]

He was re-elected in to the Meghalaya Assembly in 1993 as an independent.[2] He was re-elected to two more consecutive terms from the same constituency thereafter.[2] He won re-election during the 1990s as an independent.[2] Khonglam was elected again in 2003, this time as a candidate for the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP).[2]

He also headed the Peoples Forum of Meghalaya (PFM) and represented Sohra within the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).[3]

Chief Minister of Meghalaya

Khonglam's predecessor, former Chief Minister E.K. Mawlong, was forced to resign from office due to scandal involving the construction of the Meghalaya House in Kolkata.[1] Khonglam became Chief Minister of Meghalaya on 8 December 2001.[2] He became the first independent Chief Minister of an Indian state in history.[2] He became Chief Minister through the support of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by P. A. Sangma, which formed a coalition government with the Congress Party.[1][2] Khonglam served as Chief Minister until 4 March 2003.[3]

Later life

Khonglam was defeated for re-election in the 2008 legislative election by Dr. P.W. Khongjee of the Indian National Congress party.[2]

He suffered from diabetes, which contributed to health problems in his later life, including one documented diabetic stroke.[2] Khonglam fainted at his home in Laitumkhrah, Shillong, on 22 May 2012. He was taken to Bethany Hospital in Shillong, where he died at 6:30 p.m. IST on 22 May 2012, at the age of 67.[2] Khonglam was buried in a cemetery in Malki.[3] Dignitaries in attendance at the funeral included the Meghalaya Deputy Chief Ministers, Bindo Lanong and Rowell Lyngdoh, and Hopingstone Lingdoh, the leader of the Hill State People's Democratic Party.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Former Meghalaya CM Khonglam dead". The Times of India. 22 May 2012. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Former CM Dr FA Khonglam no more". Shillong Times. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Hundreds rally as Khonglam laid to rest". Seven Sisters Post. 25 May 2012.
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