Nahakul Pradhan

Nahakul Pradhan (born 1918 - June 1973) also known as Nakul Pradhan was a Sikkimese politician in erstwhile Kingdom of Sikkim and a member of Sikkim State Council. He was also the President of Sikkim State Congress for many years.[1]

Nahakul Pradhan
Member of the Sikkim State Council
In office
1967–1973
ConstituencyEast
In office
1958–1967
ConstituencyNorth-Central
Personal details
NationalitySikkimese
Political partySikkim State Congress

Personal life

He belongs to the lineage of Newar Taksari family of Sikkim, his mother was twin sister of popular leader Kashiraj Pradhan and grand daughter of Chandrabir Taksari. He has four sons and four daughters, the eldest son is Late S.K.Pradhan, a two time former member of Sikkim Legislative Assembly. Journalist Nitesh R Pradhan is his grandson.[2] [3]

Political career

Pradhan was a member of State Council of Sikkim from 1958 to 1973. He held several cabinet positions in State Council of Sikkim - a constitutional government under the erstwhile Chogyal regime including the Executive Councillor(equivalent to Cabinet minister). He has led the Sikkim State Congress for several years. Initially he demanded Sikkim’s merger with India in view of tensions with China on Sikkimese borders[4] In a change to his previous ideological stand of Sikkim’s merger with India, in 1967, Pradhan along with BB Gurung and Netuk Tshering demanded revision of Indo-Sikkim treaty,1950 stating, “Since Sikkim signed the treaty with India, surely it is within her sovereign rights to demand a revision of the treaty as one of the signatories. In fact, Sikkim gained her Sovereign Status on the 15th August, 1947, when India achieved her independence from the British rule. Every country has its inherent right to exist and maintain its separate identity and, therefore, to review and revise its treaty obligations in the wake of changing circumstances.”[5]

Other work

He was the editor of Sikkim's first monthly news magazine Kanchenjunga(1957), which his maternal uncle Kashiraj Pradhan started.[6]

Positions held

Honours
  • 1965 - Pema Dorji Decoration - Presented by the Chogyal of Sikkim, the third highest civilian honour in the former Kingdom of Sikkim.
  • 1998 - Swatantrata Senani Tamra-Patra by the State Government of Sikkim (Posthumous) for contribution to establishment of democracy.
  • The Government of Sikkim has named Central Pendam - Rangpo road as Nahakul Pradhan Marg.[8]

Sources
  • Bareh, Hamlet (2001). "Introduction". Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Sikkim. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-794-8. Retrieved 19 June 2011.

References
  1. Grover, B. S. K. (January 31, 1974). "Sikkim And India Storm And Consolidation" – via Internet Archive.
  2. "Two-time former MLA SK Pradhan no more - Sikkim News | Sikkim Breaking News | Trending News". October 22, 2021.
  3. "WITNESS TO CHANGE IN SIKKIM:?Affairs of Sikkim State Congress and the Khamdong Estate".
  4. Grimes, Paul (September 23, 1959). "2 SIKKIMESE ASK CLOSER INDIAN TIE; Congress Party Chiefs Urge Full Accession in View of Chinese Threat" – via NYTimes.com.
  5. "JIGME N KAZI". jigme5.rssing.com.
  6. Kanchenjunga and Sikkim Press: How Media Started Its Practice in Sikkim
  7. "Appointment of the Dewan of Sikkim". Endangered Archives Programme.
  8. Pradhan, Nitesh R. (November 30, 2019). "West Pendam-Singtam belt, a potential yet overlooked tourist destination".
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