 |
| Mr. Hopingstone Lyngdoh (Pic: The Indian Express) |
Mr. Hopingstone Lyngdoh, MLA of Nongstoin Constituency in Meghalaya passed away in the early hours (12:45 AM) of September 26, 2015. He was 88.
He entered active politics in 1957 to stand for District Council elections of erstwhile United Khasi & Jaintia Autonomous District Council. Ever since, he had never lost an election. He entered the then composite Assam Legislative Assembly as an elected MLA in 1962. When Meghalaya State was created in 1972, he was elected as an MLA from Pariong Constituency. In 1977, he stood for Parliamentary Elections from Shillong and defeated Prof. G. G. Swell, former Lok Sabha Dy. Speaker, Mr. P.R. Kyndiah who later became Speaker of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Governor of Mizoram and Union Minister and, Prof. P. G. Marbaniang who later became Speaker of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and MP. Mr. Lyngdoh was Executive Member of the UKJHADC, Chief Executive Member of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Dy. Chief Minister of Meghalaya on different occasions.
When the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) Assembly was held in Shillong in May, 2008, Mr. Lyngdoh was Dy. CM of Meghalaya and attended the inaugural session to represent the State Government. Mr. H. S. Lyngdoh was elected Elder of Mawkyllei Presbyterian Church (PCI) in 1977 and continued serving as Church Elder till his last breath. He also served as Vice Chairman of the erstwhile KJP Synod's Youth Fellowship, member of Synod's Executive Committee and other Committees. He regularly attended PCI General Assembly's biennial sessions and was a popular preacher.
His body remains will be taken to Nongstoin, the District and Constituency headquarter on September 28, 2015 morning for Government's last honour and people of West Khasi Hills to pay their last respects then taken to Mawkyllei, his village for the funeral. His funeral will be held on Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at Mawkyllei Village, West Khasi Hills, to be conducted by Pariong Presbytery.
Mr. Hopingstone Lyngdoh was a bachelor and lived with his closest maternal relatives all his life. He was a man for others and he once said: "When my people are still riding in a pony cart, I can't travel in an Ambassador car... When the people are climbing the stairs, I can't go up in a lift."
(News Source: Courtesy of Rev. Dr. P. B. M. Basaiawmoit)
