Sikkim Statehood Day: How the Himalayan kingdom became a part of India

Sikkim became the 22nd state of India on 16 May 1975. Today as it celebrates its 47th statehood day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted its people. “Statehood Day greetings to my sisters and brothers of Sikkim. The people of Sikkim have distinguished themselves in diverse fields and are making rich contributions to national progress. May the people of the state be blessed with happiness and good health,” he wrote on Twitter.

Statehood Day greetings to my sisters and brothers of Sikkim. The people of Sikkim have distinguished themselves in diverse fields and are making rich contributions to national progress. May the people of the state be blessed with happiness and good health.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2022

President Ram Nath Kovind also extended his wishes to the state. “Sikkim has set an example before resting of the country in organic farming and adopting the path of sustainable development. My best wishes to all the residents of Sikkim for continued growth and prosperity,” he said.

Greetings to the people of Sikkim on Statehood Day. Sikkim has set an example before rest of the country in organic farming and adopting the path of sustainable development. My best wishes to all the residents of Sikkim for continued growth and prosperity.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 16, 2022

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As leaders hail Sikkim, we take a look at its storied history and how the Himalayan kingdom became a part of India. The rulers of Sikkim In 1642, Sikkim came under the rule of the Chogyal (or kings) of the Namgyal dynasty of Tibetan descent, which ruled the kingdom for close to 333 years. The first ruler Penchu Namgyal was made king by the Tibetan lamas. Back then, the kingdom of Sikkim spread from Chumbi Valley, now in China, to Darjeeling, now in West Bengal, and beyond. After 1706, there were a series of conflicts between the powers of the region, which included Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet, resulting in a shrinking of Sikkim’s territorial boundaries, reports The Indian Express. [caption id=“attachment_10679661” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  The Chogyal of the Namgyal dynasty ruled Sikkim for close to 333 years. Image Courtesy: @Gen_VKSingh/Twitter[/caption] Under the British rule In 1814, Sikkim joined hands with the East India Company in its campaign against Nepal. The British won and some territories that Nepal had wrested for Sikkim were restored to it. In 1841, the Company purchased Darjeeling from the Namgyal rulers. In 1861, Sikkim became a “protectorate” state under British India. A protectorate state is a smaller country which is protected by a larger sovereign. It is autonomous in many ways. The sovereign does not intervene in its internal affairs but policies such as foreign affairs and defence are the responsibility of the larger country. During the Calcutta Convention in 1890, the border between Sikkim and Tibet was demarcated and signed by Viceroy Lord Lansdowne and Qing China’s Imperial Associate Resident in Tibet. Sikkim after independence In 1950, three years after India became independent, a treaty was signed between Sikkim’s Maharaja Tashi Namgyal and India’s then political officer in the kingdom Harishwar Dayal Sikkim continued its status as a “protectorate” state within the Union of India. In the years that followed, discontent grew against the rulers because of income inequality and feudal control. In 1953, a new Constitution was introduced and general elections were held in 1957, 1960, 1967, and 1970. However, the distrust between the Chogyal rulers and the Congress meant that this did not help in furthering democracy, according to The Indian Express. Sikkim’s last monarch Palden Thondup Namgyal married an American, Hope Cook in 1963. She was accused of being a Central Investigation Agency (CIA) agent and interfering in the affairs of the kingdom. The anger against the rulers grew over the years. In 1973, the royal palace was gheraoed by protesters and the Chogyal turned to the Indian government to send in troops to quell the agitation. An agreement was signed between the ruler, the Indian state, and the political parties to introduce political reforms in Sikkim. [caption id=“attachment_10679671” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  After the 1974 elections in Sikkim, India changed its status from protectorate to “associated state”. AFP[/caption] The road to statehood In 1974, elections were held in the state, which Congress led by Kazi Lhendup Dorji won. A new constitution was adopted which restricted the role of the Chogyal. India changed the status of Sikkim from protectorate to “associated state”. This did not go down well with the king, who called for a referendum in September 1974. In the subsequent referendum, as many as 97.5 per cent of participants voted against the monarchy and favoured that Sikkim joins India. On 15 May 1975, then-President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signed a constitutional amendment. A day later, Sikkim became a complete Indian state and the rule of the Chogyal was abolished. China was not pleased with the move and it continued to be a thorn in the ties between New Delhi and Beijing. It was finally in 2003 that a compromise between the two nations led to a thaw under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. China agreed to officially recognise Sikkim as an Indian state on the condition that India declared Tibet as a part of China. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.