Padmashri Laxman Singh Jangpangi

[In my article “Padma Awards from Uttarakhand”, Narendra Singh Pangtey commented that Late Shri Laxman Singh Jangpangi received Padma Shree award in the year 1959. This name was missing in my list as I had taken the names of all the Padma Award winners from the list provided by Government of India for the state Uttarakhand. Shri Jangpangi was nominated from Orisaa (as per that list).I have made the corrections now and I am providing more information about Jangpangi ji,courtesy N.S.Pangtey – — Kamal]

There is book “Travails of Border Trade” written by Shri Bhawan Singh Rawat, Bhim Tal in which one chapter is dedicated for Shri Jangpangi ji. Some excerpt.

On January 25, 1959 Shri Laxman Singh Jangpangi, the then Indian Trade Agent , GARTOK (Western Tibet) , was in Almora, spending his well earned leave with his family. On the same day , the Northern Division of the Ministry of External Affairs was trying to contact him as the President had approved award of Padma Shri to him. Later in the evening when Republic Day 1959 honours list was announced his friends and collegues started making enquiries from the Political Office in Sikkim regarding his whereabouts. From the next days, messages / letters of congratulayions started pouring in. In his letter ,Shri S Dutt, the then foreign secretary described the award of Padma Shri to Shri Jangpangi as a fitting recognition to his ‘selfless and strenuous work over a period of years under the most difficult conditions’.Paying equally warm compliments to Shri Jangpangi, Padma Shri Apa B.Pant, political Officer in Sikkim in his letter said that Shri Jangpangi’s ” hard and selfless work in the cause of the country has gained for him the gratitude and thanks of the country”.

Shri J.S.Mehta, the then Director (China) and Shri S.K.Roy, Special Officer Frontier Area (SOFA) in the Ministry of External Affairs played important role in highlighting the work and sacrifices of Shri Jangpangi for due national recognition. Shri S.K.Roy had visited Western Tibet in 1956 and had toured with Shri Jangpangi and team to the trade marts of Taklakote, Darchin, Gyanima and Gartok. He was the first senior Govt. of India officer to visit Western Tibet. He had gained first hand knowledge of the working conditions in Western Tibet. At the time of his departure for India via Shipki-Shimla route Shri Roy described the trade agent and his staff as “ Super Humans” to live and work under the most trying conditions in places like Western Tibet. Shri J.S. Mehta (who later became Foreign Secretary) had been in touch with Shri Jangpangi’s work and sent a letter of congratulations to him saying “There are very few civil servants in the country who have endured such hardships in discharge of their duties as you do on your annual trek to Western Tibet.Despite the rigours of the climate as well as the discomfort of living conditions, you have established a name for yourself had been and effective help to our people.” For apparent reasons, Shri Mehta could not give more details of Shri Jangpangi’s contributions particularly regarding his warning about  the Chinese constructing a road through Indian territory of Aksai Chin.

****

The investiture ceremony was held on 8th April 1959,when the President of India presented the insignia of Padma Shri to Shri Jangpangi.

Family Background

Son of Rai Saheb Soban Singh, Shri Laxman Singh was born in Burfu in Johar Valley on 24th July,1905. He belonged to a rich family. His grand father, Phannu Jangpangi was awarded with a certificate of dagger and a medal by the British Government in recognition of his cooperation with the British Administration. His father,Soban was conferred upon the title of “Rai Saheb” for his services to British administration.

** Shri Laxman Singh Jangpangi did his matriculation and Intermediate Science from Almora in 1926. He studied up to B.A. Final in Allahabad University.

Service Career

Shri Jangpangi joined service in 1930 as an accountant in British Trade Agency,Gartok (Western Tibet). The post of Accountant in the trade agency was of the second in command. He was given an officiating promotion as Trade Agent during the year 1941-42. He got his regular promotion as Trade Agent,Gartok in 1946 and remained in the psot till 1959 when he was transferred to Indian Trade Agency, Yatung in Chumbi valley across Sikkim borders. He was the only Indian Officer who had traveled through five trade routes to western Tibet-via Lipulekh pass, Unta Kungri-Bingri pass, Chor Hoti-Niti pass, Shimla-Shipki pass and Zojila-Taglunga pass.

* He retired three months after the closure of Trade Agencies in Tibet in June 1962.

** Shri Jangpangi passed away at Haldwani in 1976.

हिन्दी में : श्री लक्ष्मण सिंह जंगपाँगी, पद्म श्री