Paul Lyngdoh

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Paul Lyngdoh
Minister of Social Welfare, Tourism,Arts & Culture,Textiles, Government of Meghalaya
Assumed office
7 March 2023[1]
Member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly
for West Shillong
Assumed office
7 March 2023
Preceded byMohendro Rapsang
Personal details
NationalityIndian
Political partyUnited Democratic Party
Other political
affiliations
Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement

Paul Lyngdoh (born 22 September 1972) is an Indian politician, poet, author, songwriter and musician from

Shillong, Meghalaya
.

As of 2023, he is the working president of the United Democratic Party. and Cabinet Minister of the Government of Meghalaya[2] He is member of the 11th House of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly. also the MDC representing Jaiaw Constituency in the KHADC (Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council).

Educational qualifications

Paul Lyngdoh completed his schooling from Khasi Jaintia National School and Mawprem Modern Higher Secondary School. He pursued his Bachelor's Degree (with English Honours) from St. Anthony's College, Shillong. then Master's Degree in English from the North-Eastern Hills University.[3] He studied law up to the intermediate level and completed a course on journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism.

Literary career

Paul Lyngdoh is a bilingual writer (Khasi and English). His collection of short stories Shithiar Ki Khana Lyngkot (1989), which he wrote as a high-school student, is now part of the Higher Secondary School Curriculum of the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE), Meghalaya Board of School Educationwhile his bilingual collection of poems, Floodgate / Ka Kyrdop was published whilst he was in college. His poetry has been published in journals and anthologies like the 'Indian Literature' (Sahitya Akademi), 'Poetry Chronicle' (edited by Sanjiv Bhatia), 'The Telegraph Sunday Magazine' (edited by Jayanta Mahapatra), 'Dancing Earth' and 'Anthology and Contemporaru Poetry from the North-East (both edited by Kynpham Nongkynrih and Robin Ngangom), amongst others. Khushwant Singh introduced Lyngdoh to a wider audience through a review of Shillong-based poets in The Sunday Observer (1995).

Lyngdoh's latest work A Return to Poetry was published in 2018.[4]

Music career

Lyngdoh has also written songs, many of which continue to be popular anthems to this day. Some of his songs include 'Ri Lum', 'Ri Baieid i Pa i Mei', 'Mait Shaphrang', 'Ko Khun U Hynniew Trep', 'Ka Jingkhot ka Por' etc.

Lyngdoh is a vocalist and musician, and continues to perform with his band.

Student leadership

Lyngdoh was involved in the Khasi Student's Union for more than a decade. He held the position of General Secretary and also President (1994-2002) of the KSU.[5]

Political career

Lyngdoh won the elections to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly in 2003 as well as 2008 from the party which he founded, Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement.[6][failed verification]

He again won the MLA elections from 18 West Shillong Constituency from the United Democratic Party in 2013. He got elected to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council in 2019 from Jaiaw Constituency.[7]

He is currently the Working President of the United Democratic Party.[8]

Lyngdoh was elected as the MLA of 18 West Shillong Constituency on 2 March 2023 and was also sworn in as the Cabinet Minister of the Govt. of Meghalaya on 7 March 2023, in the presence of the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi.[citation needed]

As a Cabinet Minister, Paul Lyngdoh is currently holding the portfolios of:

  • Social Welfare,
  • Tourism,
  • Arts & Culture,
  • Textiles

He is also the Spokesperson of the MDA 2.0, Govt. of Meghalaya.[9]

References

  1. ^ Bureau, The Meghalayan (9 March 2023). "Paul Lyngdoh allotted Tourism, Social Welfare, Arts & Culture, Textiles portfolios". The Meghalayan.
  2. ^ "Meghalaya's UDP names Paul Lyngdoh for Lok Sabha poll". Zee News. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  3. ^ "The Official Web Portal: Government of Meghalaya". Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Paul's poems talk about 'love for the land'". The Shillong Times. 23 September 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  5. ^ Union, Khasi Students'. "Our History | KSU". www.khasistudentsunion.com. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Khun Hynñiewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) 'dissolved' to merge with UDP | Nagaland Post". 27 November 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  7. ^ "M'laya: UDP to form EC with NPP in KHADC and JHADC | Nagaland Post". 3 March 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  8. ^ Bureau (7 February 2023). "UDP will lead in forming next Meghalaya govt: Paul Lyngdoh". The Shillong Times. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Paul gets tourism, social welfare, arts and culture & textiles". Meghalaya Monitor. Retrieved 24 October 2023.