Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

FIFTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD MR. BEPIN BEHARI LAL, I.C.S., TOOK OATH AS FIRST GOVERNOR OF SIKKIM AT A SIMPLE BUT IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY HELD AT RAJBHAVAN ON MAY 16. THE OATH WAS ADMINISTERED BY MR JUSTICE RAJINDER SACHAR, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT OF SIKKIM. The function was held at a specially erected pandal at the Rajbhavan lawns and was attended, among others by Chief Minister Kazi Lhendup Dorji, Kazini of Chakung, members ofthe  Cabinet Mr B.P. Dahal, Mr B.P. Kharel, Mr Dorji Tsering, Mr Naye Tsering Lepcha, and Mr Rinzing Tongden Lepcha, Deputy Speaker of Sikkim Assembly Mr C.S. Rai, Members of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, General Secretary of Congress Party Mr S.K. Rai, and top civil and army officials. Later, Mr Lal administered he oath of office and secrecy to Kazi as Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues under the Indian Constitution. On his arrival at Rajbhavan Mr Lal was received by Kazi and his Cabinet colleagues. He was presented with an impressive Guard of Honour b...

BB Lal was the first governor of the state of Sikkim. He was in office from 18 th  May 1975 till 9 th  January 1981.  Interestingly, the magazine cut-off reads BB Lal was given a warm farewell on December 30, 1980, in the presence of NB Bhandari, the then Chief Minister of Sikkim. The photograph mentioned above is the last one to be clicked in Sikkim. He then left for Nainital, which is now in Uttrakhand.   He became the first governor of Sikkim to have his residence at the heritage building of the British residency, which was also known as Barra Khoti and is now more popular as Raj Bhavan. LD Kazi was the Chief Minister of Sikkim when Lal started his tenure as the Governor of Sikkim. Before 1975, Sikkim was an independent Himalayan monarchy ruled by Namgyal Dynasty. In 1979, NB Bhandari became the second Chief Minister of Sikkim. Lal passed away in 2008 at the age of 91. Facts related to BB Lal: Most of the bazaars in popular places are cal...