Pawan
Chamling, born 22 sept.
1950 has been the Chief Minister
of Sikkim since December 1994.
Active in social works from
his early teens, his political
journey had its formal beginning
in 1977 as the Vice-President
of Sikkim Prajatantra Congress.
In 1982, he was elected unopposed
as President of Yangang Gram
Panchayat. In 1985, he was elected
as a Member of Sikkim Legislative
Assembly from Damthang and became
the Chairman of Sikkim Distilleries.
In 1989 election, he was re-elected
with a record 96.6% of total
vote cast. He became a Cabinet
Minister in the Sikkim Sangram
Parishad Governmet.
A
relentless worker for the poor
and downtrodden, Pawan Chamling
formed his own Sikkim Democratic
front party on March 4, 1993
and initiated a statewide campaing
against the autocratic rule
of the then government.
Widely hailed as the "dark
horse" by the media, Chamling
as the lone opposition MLA,
created a history by searching
for democracy with a lighted
candle in his hand inside the
State Assembly Hall on sept.
9, 1992. His party won Assembly
election in 1994 and formed
the popular "KHALI
KHUTTE KO SARKAR"
(Government of the bare-foot
people).
In
recognition to his tireless
effort at emotional integration
of Sikkimese people into the
mainstream, he was awarded the
coveted "BHARAT
SHIROMANI AWARD".
Also voted as the "Greenest
Chief Minister of India"
in a countrywide poll conducted
by the Centre for Science and
Environment, New Delhi, Chamling
has consistently and extensively
contributed to the environmental
conservation of the Eastern
Himalayas.
