Kazi Lhendup Dorji was born in Pakyong, East Sikkim in the Khangsarpa family in the year 1904. He entered the Rumtek monastery at the age of 6 years. His uncle, Tshurfuk Lama Rabden Dorji was the then Head Lama of the Old Rumtek Monastery and Lhendup became his disciple. Sidkyong Namgyal, the then Maharaja of Sikkim, while visiting the Monastery took a great liking to the young monk Lhendup and took him to Gangtok, where he placed him in a Tibetan School.
At the age of 16 Kazi Lhendup returned to Rumtek monastery and underwent strict training of lamaism for two years.
Thereafter, on completion of his training he succeeded as the Head Lama of Rumtek Monastery and its estates on the retirement of Lama Ugen Tenzing. Kazi Lhendup remained as the Head Lama in Old Rumtek Monastery for 8 years, and then left the Monastery to work with his brother, the late Kazi Phag Tshering, who founded the Young Mens’ Buddhist Association in Darjeeling. The two brothers founded a large number of schools in West Sikkim and were instrumental in bringing about a number of social and other reforms.
In 1945, Kazi Lhendup Dorji started the Sikkim Praja Mandal and was elected its first President. In 1953, he became President of Sikkim State Congress and held that post till 1958. During his President-ship of the Sikkim State Congress, he led a delegation to Delhi in 1954 to call on the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The Sikkimese had been fighting for political and economic reforms and these were discussed by the delegation with Pandit Nehru, who was deeply impressed by their sincerity particularly that of Kazi Lhendup Dorji. The Prime Minister promised to give assistance for the progress and economic welfare of the Sikkimese people and assured Government of India's support towards political reform in Sikkim.
At that time, there were two main political parties namely Sikkim State Congress and the National Party and the political approaches of these parties were different and bordering on communal sympathies. Kazi Lhendup Dorji realising the futility of the communal approach in the political scene of Sikkim, and having dear to his heart the welfare of all the people, decided to form another party, called the Sikkim National Congress, in 1962.
Kazi Sahib’s main approach was to form a non-communal party which could give to the people of Sikkim peace, prosperity and progress. The formation of this party gave a new direction of the political life in Sikkim. Fighting on this platform, his party secured 8 seats out of 18 in the 3rd general elections of Sikkim. This was by no means a minor achievement in view of the earlier political influences which were diverting their energies towards a communal end. Kazi Lhendup Dorji formed the opposition in the Sikkim Council and tried to bring about a feeling of communal harmony.
In the 4th general elections held in 1970, Kazi Lhendup Dorji was appointed as an Executive Councillor and was allotted the portfolio of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Transport Authority. He, realising that Sikkim is an agricultural country, tried to bring about certain reforms to ameliorate the economic conditions of the agriculturists. He was however, relieved of his Executive Councillorship in 1972 and, thereafter, he and his Belgian born wife Elisa Maria left for a tour of Europe. On their return, he set about to fight the elections; which was held in 1973. The results of the elections of 1973 did not satisfy the Sikkim National Congress who felt that they had not been conducted in a fair manner. This led to an agitation in April 1973 which ultimately resulted in the merger of the Sikkim Janata Congress and the Sikkim National Congress. The United Party subsequently obtained an overwhelming majority in the general election by securing 31 out of 32 seats. This gave a massive mandate to Kazi Lhendup Dorji to form a new Government.
The Sikkim Congress delegates used to attend the annual sessions of the Indian National Congress. After joining the mainstream of national life in 1975, there was no sense for the Sikkim State Congress to remain outside the fold of Indian National Congress. Keeping in view the aspirations of the people and all round progress of Sikkim State, the decision to merge the Sikkim Congress with the Indian National Congress was taken at Chandigarh.
Following Sikkim’s merger with the Indian Union, the Sikkim Congress became an integral part of the Indian National Congress and member of the great Indian family. Kazi Lhendup Dorji Khangsarpa was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Sikkim along with his Council of Ministers at Raj Bhavan, Gangtok on May 16, 1975.
The first Governor, BB Lal and the Chief Justice (Acting) of the High Court of Sikkim Justice Rajender Sachchar were also sworn in during the same function, which was a historic day for Sikkim. Later in the afternoon at another function at the Raj Bhavan, the Governor administered oath to the newly elected Members of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly. May 16 thus became the State Day of Sikkim.
In order to bring in rapid socio-economic development in various sectors-of the newly born State, the Centre Government started pumping in massive funds in the Annual Plans of the State Government. During the Kazi Government, the Anti-Corruption branch was set up in Gangtok and the Frontier Railway Passenger Out Agency was also opened at the Sikkim Nationalised Transport Office here in Gangtok on September 1, 1975.
Chief Minister Kazi Lhendup Dorjee also laid the foundation stone of the Temi Tea Factory in South Sikkim on December 21, 1975 and the Governor. During the same year, the Gangtok Water Treatment Plant at Selep was also opened.
The Gangtok-Chungthang Bus Service, Divisional Telegraph Office at Gangtok, Industrial Training Institute at Rangpo, Tashiling Secretariat and Kendriya Vidyalaya at Deorali were all inaugurated during the tenure of Kazi Sahib. The bridge at Sirwani near Singtam in East Sikkim, named after LD Kazi was also inaugurated during this time.
The Kazi government played host to a number of VVIPs visiting Sikkim. The most prominent among them was the visit of the Mother Teresa, on February 17, 1976. The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi also paid a visit to Sikkim on November 11, 1975.
Kazi Lhendup Dorji was a venerable and respected leader of the Sikkimese people and had given the best part his life to the service of the people. Selfless and unassuming as he was, he was a man of few words and believed in working silently.
The Sikkim Government had provided him with a lifelong pension of Rs.10,000 per month, one vehicle and a medical attendant for him.
Kazi Sahib was also conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award the country in 2004. The State Government conferred him with the Sikkim Ratna, the highest civilian State award for outstanding service to the people of Sikkim at the 57th
Independence Day celebrations the same year. This was the first time this award was being conferred by the State Government.
The Sikkim Ratna citation to Kazi Sahib reads: “In recognition of his exemplary contribution to the State of Sikkim, the State Government hereby confers on Padma Vibhushan Shri Kazi Lhendup Dorjee Khangsharpa, the decoration of Sikkim Ratna on the occasion of Independence Day, 2004.”
The citation further mentions that “with a clear concept of establishing a democratic set up and rule of law in Sikkim, LD Kazi formed the Sikkim National Congress and continued his political struggle for the emancipation of the Sikkimese from their feudal masters. He was ultimately successful in bringing about democracy in the state of Sikkim and on the basis of one-man-one-vote, became the first chief minister of Sikkim.”
At the age of 16 Kazi Lhendup returned to Rumtek monastery and underwent strict training of lamaism for two years.
Thereafter, on completion of his training he succeeded as the Head Lama of Rumtek Monastery and its estates on the retirement of Lama Ugen Tenzing. Kazi Lhendup remained as the Head Lama in Old Rumtek Monastery for 8 years, and then left the Monastery to work with his brother, the late Kazi Phag Tshering, who founded the Young Mens’ Buddhist Association in Darjeeling. The two brothers founded a large number of schools in West Sikkim and were instrumental in bringing about a number of social and other reforms.
In 1945, Kazi Lhendup Dorji started the Sikkim Praja Mandal and was elected its first President. In 1953, he became President of Sikkim State Congress and held that post till 1958. During his President-ship of the Sikkim State Congress, he led a delegation to Delhi in 1954 to call on the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The Sikkimese had been fighting for political and economic reforms and these were discussed by the delegation with Pandit Nehru, who was deeply impressed by their sincerity particularly that of Kazi Lhendup Dorji. The Prime Minister promised to give assistance for the progress and economic welfare of the Sikkimese people and assured Government of India's support towards political reform in Sikkim.
At that time, there were two main political parties namely Sikkim State Congress and the National Party and the political approaches of these parties were different and bordering on communal sympathies. Kazi Lhendup Dorji realising the futility of the communal approach in the political scene of Sikkim, and having dear to his heart the welfare of all the people, decided to form another party, called the Sikkim National Congress, in 1962.
Kazi Sahib’s main approach was to form a non-communal party which could give to the people of Sikkim peace, prosperity and progress. The formation of this party gave a new direction of the political life in Sikkim. Fighting on this platform, his party secured 8 seats out of 18 in the 3rd general elections of Sikkim. This was by no means a minor achievement in view of the earlier political influences which were diverting their energies towards a communal end. Kazi Lhendup Dorji formed the opposition in the Sikkim Council and tried to bring about a feeling of communal harmony.
In the 4th general elections held in 1970, Kazi Lhendup Dorji was appointed as an Executive Councillor and was allotted the portfolio of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Transport Authority. He, realising that Sikkim is an agricultural country, tried to bring about certain reforms to ameliorate the economic conditions of the agriculturists. He was however, relieved of his Executive Councillorship in 1972 and, thereafter, he and his Belgian born wife Elisa Maria left for a tour of Europe. On their return, he set about to fight the elections; which was held in 1973. The results of the elections of 1973 did not satisfy the Sikkim National Congress who felt that they had not been conducted in a fair manner. This led to an agitation in April 1973 which ultimately resulted in the merger of the Sikkim Janata Congress and the Sikkim National Congress. The United Party subsequently obtained an overwhelming majority in the general election by securing 31 out of 32 seats. This gave a massive mandate to Kazi Lhendup Dorji to form a new Government.The Sikkim Congress delegates used to attend the annual sessions of the Indian National Congress. After joining the mainstream of national life in 1975, there was no sense for the Sikkim State Congress to remain outside the fold of Indian National Congress. Keeping in view the aspirations of the people and all round progress of Sikkim State, the decision to merge the Sikkim Congress with the Indian National Congress was taken at Chandigarh.
Following Sikkim’s merger with the Indian Union, the Sikkim Congress became an integral part of the Indian National Congress and member of the great Indian family. Kazi Lhendup Dorji Khangsarpa was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Sikkim along with his Council of Ministers at Raj Bhavan, Gangtok on May 16, 1975.
The first Governor, BB Lal and the Chief Justice (Acting) of the High Court of Sikkim Justice Rajender Sachchar were also sworn in during the same function, which was a historic day for Sikkim. Later in the afternoon at another function at the Raj Bhavan, the Governor administered oath to the newly elected Members of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly. May 16 thus became the State Day of Sikkim.
In order to bring in rapid socio-economic development in various sectors-of the newly born State, the Centre Government started pumping in massive funds in the Annual Plans of the State Government. During the Kazi Government, the Anti-Corruption branch was set up in Gangtok and the Frontier Railway Passenger Out Agency was also opened at the Sikkim Nationalised Transport Office here in Gangtok on September 1, 1975.
Chief Minister Kazi Lhendup Dorjee also laid the foundation stone of the Temi Tea Factory in South Sikkim on December 21, 1975 and the Governor. During the same year, the Gangtok Water Treatment Plant at Selep was also opened.
The Gangtok-Chungthang Bus Service, Divisional Telegraph Office at Gangtok, Industrial Training Institute at Rangpo, Tashiling Secretariat and Kendriya Vidyalaya at Deorali were all inaugurated during the tenure of Kazi Sahib. The bridge at Sirwani near Singtam in East Sikkim, named after LD Kazi was also inaugurated during this time.
The Kazi government played host to a number of VVIPs visiting Sikkim. The most prominent among them was the visit of the Mother Teresa, on February 17, 1976. The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi also paid a visit to Sikkim on November 11, 1975.
Kazi Lhendup Dorji was a venerable and respected leader of the Sikkimese people and had given the best part his life to the service of the people. Selfless and unassuming as he was, he was a man of few words and believed in working silently.
The Sikkim Government had provided him with a lifelong pension of Rs.10,000 per month, one vehicle and a medical attendant for him.
Kazi Sahib was also conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award the country in 2004. The State Government conferred him with the Sikkim Ratna, the highest civilian State award for outstanding service to the people of Sikkim at the 57th
Independence Day celebrations the same year. This was the first time this award was being conferred by the State Government.
The Sikkim Ratna citation to Kazi Sahib reads: “In recognition of his exemplary contribution to the State of Sikkim, the State Government hereby confers on Padma Vibhushan Shri Kazi Lhendup Dorjee Khangsharpa, the decoration of Sikkim Ratna on the occasion of Independence Day, 2004.”
The citation further mentions that “with a clear concept of establishing a democratic set up and rule of law in Sikkim, LD Kazi formed the Sikkim National Congress and continued his political struggle for the emancipation of the Sikkimese from their feudal masters. He was ultimately successful in bringing about democracy in the state of Sikkim and on the basis of one-man-one-vote, became the first chief minister of Sikkim.”
