Former Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang passes away

GUWAHATI:

Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Donwa Dethwelson Lapang passed away at a hospital in Shillong on Friday (September 12, 2025) night. He was 93.

Members of his family said he was battling age-related ailments for a long time. He left behind his wife, Amethyst Lynda Jones Blah, and two children.

Rags-to-riches story

Born on April 10, 1932, the late Lapang’s was a rags-to-riches story. From a road construction worker, he rose to become the Chief Minister of Meghalaya four times, albeit without completing a term.

A labourer by day, he graduated from an evening college in Shillong and served as a teacher at a school in Nongpoh for five years. Nongpoh later became the headquarters of the Ri-Bhoi district, which he helped create.

After serving as a typist at the Assam Secretariat, he went on to become an inspector of schools.

Political career

The late Lapang started his political career by contesting and winning the Nongpoh Assembly constituency as an independent candidate in 1972, the year Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as a separate State.

He later joined the Congress party.

His first stint as the Chief Minister was from 1992 to February 1993. He returned to the post in March 2003, but dissidence within the Congress-led coalition government forced him to step down in June 2006.

He was sworn in for the third time in March 2007. After the Assembly elections the following year, he was sworn in again on March 10, 2008, but resigned nine days later as he could not prove his majority in the 60-member House.

His fourth and final tenure as the Chief Minister began on May 13, 2009, following two months of President’s Rule in the State. He resigned on April 19, 2010.

After more than 40 years of association with the Congress party, the late Lapang joined the Conrad K. Sangma-headed National People’s Party in 2018. He was made the Chief Advisor to the Meghalaya government that year.