Ram Lepcha’s demise ‘great loss to Lepcha community’: Renjyong Mutanchi Rong Tarjum

GANGTOK, 07 Sept: Renjyong Mutanchi Rong Tarjum [Sikkim Lepcha Association] held a condolence meeting on the demise of former Minister Late Ram Lepcha at Kurmom Building, Development Area, Gangtok yesterday.
As per a press release, the meeting observed two-minute silence while members of the association on behalf of the Lepcha community of Sikkim expressed their heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family. The members expressed that late Ram Lepcha was an asset to the Lepcha community as a whole, his demise is a great loss to the community and the vacuum created due to his demise cannot be compensated, it is really an irreparable loss to the community, the release states.
Late Ram Lepcha was born to late Jerman Lepcha and late Thungkit Lepcha in the year 1942 at Turung basti, South Sikkim. He started his career as a Block Officer under Forest Department during the Chogyal’s period. He also served as a hotel manager in a hotel based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The release adds that in 1979, he became the MLA from the then Pathing constituency [the present Nathang Machong constituency] and became Minister In-charge for LSG. He served as a Deputy Speaker in Sikkim Legislative Assembly from the year 1985. Late Lepcha also took charge as Minister for Land Revenue Department from 1989. Similarly, he also served as Minister in-charge for Finance Department in 1994.
It is to be mentioned here that in consideration of his love and concern towards the overall development of the Lepcha community, he took part in affairs of the Lepcha Association and became president of Renjyong Mutanchi Rong Tarjum in 1982.
The Late Ram Lepcha was a soft spoken person, a simple hardworking man. He breathed his last on the fateful evening of 05 September 2012 at his residence at Marchak after suffering from prolonged illness. He was 70 years old. His funeral will take place on 09 September at Rumtek, East Sikkim, the release adds.