Late IAS officer Sangay Lhaden honoured with bust unveiling in Arunachal Pradesh

ISABELLA GURUNG

GANGTOK,: A bust of the late IAS officer from Sikkim, Sangay Lhaden, was unveiled at Sangay Lhaden Sports Academy in Chimpu, Arunachal Pradesh on May 1 by her batch mates from the IAS officers of 1992.

The event was attended by her family members, senior officers from the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and two of her batch mates, Barun Kumar Ray and Deepak Kumar Singh.

Lhaden, who tragically passed away in a helicopter crash on May 8, 2001, while serving as the Education and Sports secretary in the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, was remembered for her service and spirit.

Speaking on the occasion, Arunachal Pradesh chief secretary-in-charge Kaling Teyang appreciated the effort of Lhaden’s batch mates in commemorating her birth anniversary and hoped that the effort would inspire the students in putting their best forward in the coming days. He hoped that the students and authorities will ensure that the memory lives on by focussing on Olympic sports which could bring laurels to the State and will be a tribute to the sports academy named after her.

Barun Kumar Ray, additional chief secretary, Government of West Bengal, remembered his late batch mate as jovial and free spirited individual. She had worked in Goa and Delhi before she was posted in Arunachal Pradesh where she lost her life in a tragic helicopter crash in 2001. Soon after her demise, her batch mates instituted an award in her memory to be given to probationers at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, informed Ray.

Ray thanked the Government of Arunachal Pradesh for naming the sports academy at Chimpu after her. 

Lhaden’s family expressed their gratitude to the Government of Arunachal Pradesh for honouring Lhaden with SLSA and her colleagues for commemorating the day with a bust which they believe has made her immortal in the history of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. They hoped that the academy would be an inspiration for generations to come.

To honour Lhaden’s service, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh had named the sports academy at Chimpu after her.

Additionally, ‘Sangay Lhaden Shenga Esprit De Corps Prize’, instituted in her memory by her batch mates, is given to the top performing probationary officers at LBSNAA.

Lhaden was born to parents Late K.T. Bhutia and P. Ongmu of Arithang, Gangtok. She was an alumna of Tashi Namgyal Academy, Gangtok, St. Joseph’s Convent, Kalimpong and Mt. Hermon School, Darjeeling. She completed her graduation from Lady Shree Ram College and Masters in Mass Communication from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.

Lhaden gave her first UPSC attempt in 1991. She cleared the exam in Revenue Services. In her second attempt in 1992, she was selected as an IAS in AGMUT cadre. Her initial posting was at Jabalpur as SDM. She was later posted in Goa as Industries & Mines director. Her last posting was in Arunachal Pradesh.