Friday dead

SHILLONG:  Former Minister Friday Lyngdoh passed away at his residence at Mawkhar on Thursday night after a prolonged illness. His funeral will be held on Monday.
Funeral service will start at 12 noon at his residence and then at the Mawkhar Presbyterian Church at 1pm.
Lyngdoh, 87, is survived by three daughters, 4 sons, 19 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
The family members said that Lyngdoh was not keeping well for the last few days.
Lyngdoh was active in Meghalaya politics till he decided not to contest from Mawkhar constituency in 2013.
He had also held the post of President of Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee.
Earlier, Lyngdoh had held various portfolios in the cabinet under many Chief Ministers .
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma,  Speaker AT Mondal, former Chief Minister  DD. Lapang, Home Minister and  local MLA Roshan Warjri have condoled the death of  Friday.
Born on January 25, 1929, to late  Borsing Gympad and late Nora Sidian Lyngdoh, he was the eldest of 6 brothers and 2 sisters.
He passed his Matriculation from Government High School, Jowai and graduated from Scottish Church College, Kolkata.
After his father’s death, he came back to Shillong and took up teaching in Government High School where he later became the Sub Inspector of schools
In 1960, he passed the Assam Civil Service and was the First Project Officer of Sohra.
Later, he became the BDO of Sohra and held the posts of  BDO Mairang and Mylliem.
Lyngdoh was promoted as Sub Divisional Planning Officer and Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner and posted at Shillong  under the then United Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
In 1971, he was posted as Commandant of Balat Sector during the Bangladesh Liberation War and was engaged in the relief and rehabilitation of the affected populace.
In 1972, he was the first officer to start the Border Area Development Branch under the Deputy Commissioner of Khasi Hills and in 1973 and he was appointed as Assistant Director of Community Development Department. Later, he was promoted as its Director.
Then, he assumed the office of Chief Executive Officer of the Shillong Municipal Board.
After he retired from Government service in 1986 to pursue politics he was elected as MLA in a bye election in 1990 from Mawkhar Assembly constituency.
During the year, he became the first Chairman of Shillong Urban Development Authority, and later he was appointed as Minister.
Again he was elected in 2003 and 2008 Assembly polls and was appointed as Minister in charge of the Departments of Urban Affairs, Forest and others.
He was also a senior Member of the AICC, political Advisor to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Mukul Sangma.
In 2008,he was appointed as the President of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee.
Apart from politics, he was an active member of the YMCA, Council member of Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Director, Downtown Hospitals and he also was the former headman of Mawkhar.
He also functioned as Advisor of the Dorbar Shnong Mawkhar, Chief Patron of Mawkhar Sports Club and was its President for more than 40 years
Lyngdoh was also a Church elder since 1983 for 32 years.