In Memorium

Remembering Dr. Pemba of Darjeeling
MENLA ETHENPA
One of the most outstanding sons of the queen of the hills, Darjeeling, Dr. Tsewang Yishey Pemba breathed his last at Siliguri on 26 Nov 2011. He was 79 years old. After passing out from Victoria School, Kurseong in the year 1948, he joined St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling.
Thereafter, he joined University College, London to pursue his career in medicine. He became the first hill student to receive a British medical degree in 1955.
He had so much love for the hills, he returned to Darjeeling and served in the government hospitals of Kalimpong in 1956, though he had offers to work in the UK. He worked in DDMA Hospital, Darjeeling which was run by the Indian Tea Association. He also worked as a part time volunteer for the Tibetan Refugee School and the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre at Darjeeling. He was in such great demand that the Royal Government of Bhutan requisitioned his services and he founded the first hospital in Paro in Bhutan. He was one of the three doctors in the whole of Bhutan during 1956-58.
After returning to London to become a surgeon he was awarded the Hallett Prize for standing first in the examination of the Royal College of Surgeons, England. In 1967, he obtained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeon, the first person from the Himalayas to do so. On his return to Darjeeling, he joined as the Superintendent and PMO DDMA Hospital. He used to treat patients from Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal too and was very popular amongst the Sikkimese patients. Dr. Pemba also worked as the Superintendent of the National Referral Hospital, Thimpu, Bhutan and the Chief Surgical Consultant and was a United Nations Examining Physician. He retired from service in 1992.
He has the following publications to his credit. 1) 1956 (Young Days in Tibet) an autobiography (Jonathan Cape Ltd. London) also translated into French. 1966 2) "Idols on the Path" also translated in French and German, believed to be the first novel written by a person from the Himalayas. 3) " Tibet in the year of the Dragon ", also translated into French and German.
His funeral will be held in Darjeeling on Thursday, 01 Dec 2011.
[The writer is a family friend of the deceased]