Paljor Namgyal- The Pilot Prince of Sikkim

Prince Paljor Namgyal, the first and the only Pilot prince of Sikkim was born on 26thNovember, 1921 at the Royal Palace, Gangtok to the Eleventh Maharaja of Sikkim, Sir Tashi Namgyal, K.C.I.E, K.C.S.I. and Maharani Kunzang Dechen. His original name was Kunzang Choley and he was the eldest son of the Eleventh Royal Couple of Sikkim. In 1930, he was sent along with his younger brother, Prince Palden Thondup Namgyal and their sister Princess Pema Tsedeun to St. Joseph’s Convent, Kalimpong. Prince Palzor Namgyal was further educated at St. Paul’s School, Darjeeling and St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling.

The Crown Prince, Paljor Namgyal was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the Royal Indian Air Force and based at Ambala. He served in World War II in 1940-41. As a true ally of the British Indian Government, Sikkim had greatly served in providing manpower in the said world war. It is to be noted here that many Sikkimese family had also send their children to fight against the English foes and few of them had been able to receive the esteemed Victoria Cross. But, most wretchedly, Paljor Namgyal was killed in active service after he crash landed in flight near Peshawar, on 20thDecember, 1941. He was merely 20 years old then. Regarding the death of the Crown Prince of Sikkim the Bharat Rakshak an official website of Indian Air Force has published this information “On 8th December, war was declared with Japan and the Squadron was ordered to the Burma front on 14th December. The Squadron returned to Peshawar two days later.  As there was a shortage of air gunners, volunteers were called from among the fitters, riggers and other ground crew members. The airmen volunteered almost to a man. They were trained on a fast track basis in less than a fortnight. The Squadron suffered its first casualty on the Lysander on 20th December 1941, when Pilot Officer Paljor Namgyal, who at that time was the crown prince of the Kingdom of Sikkim, undershot trying to land at Peshawar. The aircraft R1989 hit a bund and overturned - killing the pilot and seriously wounding the observer”.

The tragic death of the Sikkimese Prince has also been mentioned by PVS Jagan Mohan in his book ‘The Westland Lysander in Indian Air force Service’ in the following manner “The squadron suffered its first casualty on the Lysander on 20^th December 1941, when Pilot Officer C Dhairyam, with Pilot Officer Paljor Namgyal as his passenger undershoot trying to land at Peshawar. The Air craft R1989 hit a bund and overturned - killing the pilot and seriously wounding the pilot. Palzor Namgyal was the Crown Prince of Sikkim and his death was a major blow to the people of the small Himalayan Kingdom”(P14).

As an Air Pilot Prince Paljor Pic: http://sikhim.blogspot.com

Most unfortunately, we have very little credentials about the pilot prince Paljor Namgyal. Few photographs that include his portrait in the Air force uniform are the only source to write something about him. During my fieldwork, I have been able to get a bit of unwritten information about the late Crown Prince of Sikkim. Few old Sikkimese, especially those who have seen him during their lifetime, have an immense respect and love for Paljor Namgyal. An old person Mr. Harka Bahadur Subba of Chota Singtam along with few old people has informed me that the Prince was a placid and a kind person. Once while hunting Prince Paljor reached to a house of an old Lepcha lady at Nandok in East Sikkim. She was unaware about his gigantic position and she offered Dhero (meal prepared from millet mostly consumed by the poor peasants during feudalistic Sikkim) to him for his dinner. He inquired about the poverty of the old lady and came to know about the forceful collection of Dhurikhajana and the prevalence of Kalobhari, Jharlangi and Theki bethi as forced labor. After spending a night at the home of the old lady the prince recoiled to his palace and informed his father Maharaja Tashi Namgyal about the utter poverty of their subjects and insisted him for the immediate removal of the forced labour and Dhurikhajana. Before the king could do anything in this regard, the Kazis and other feudal elements misguided the king to send his eldest son to join the Royal Air Force and was finally killed in an air crash.

Photo Frederick Williamson Prince Paljor Namgyal standing in front of C. E Dudley Pic: Digital Himalayas

“Maharajkumar jyudo hunuhunthyo bhaney ta Sikkim aarkai hunthyo had the Maharajkumar been alive Sikkim could have been different” was their remark on the untimed demise of the late crown prince Paljor Namgyal.