By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 10: Former deputy chief minister Standlington D Khongwir has finally retired as the Rangbah Shnong of Mawlai Nonglum after a stint of over 55 years.
Khongwir was first elected as the Rangbah Shnong in January 1968. He had also held the post of president of the Mawlai Town Dorbar (MTD) for 35 years since 1988.
Born in 1934, Khongwir served as deputy chief minister in both the coalition governments led by former chief ministers (L) Darwin Diengdoh Pugh and (L) Brington Buhai Lyngdoh.
He had also represented Mawlai constituency as an MLA for 26 years till his retirement from politics in 1998.
Speaking with The Shillong Times on Sunday, Khongwir expressed gratitude to the residents of Mawlai Nonglum for reposing their faith on him to lead the locality for over five decades.
He recalled that on one occasion he had proposed a name for election as the Rangbah Shnong in his place.
“But no one was willing to listen as they wanted me to remain the Rangbah Shnong. I continued to remain in office until a new Rangbah Shnong was elected recently,” Khongwir said.
The former Rangbah Shnong said one of his major achievements was that he had introduced a system where the Rangbah Shnong issued building permission for construction of houses in the locality.
“But now the building permission is issued by the KHADC,” Khongwir said.
The Dorbar Shnong of Mawlai Nonglum recently elected its office-bearers for a five-year term.
John Sing War was elected Rangbah Shnong, Wanaibor Kharlukhi was named assistant Rangbah Shnong, while Wangmin Lamin was elected as secretary.
The Dorbar Shnong also elected 24 Rangbah Dongs for the six blocks of the locality. At the same, the Dorbar also elected the office-bearers of its Seng Kynthei with Mittimai Basaiawmoit as president, Memtibon Lyngdoh Nonglait as vice-president and Ameka Bahun Kharlukhi as secretary.
