How royals, British, Tibetans and political parties shaped Sikkim's faith

India Today

5 days ago

The summer of 1975 saw a key shift in India's map. On May 16, Sikkim officially became the 22nd state of the Indian Union through the 36th Amendment of the Constitution, following a public vote that supported joining India.This development was not sudden. It came after more than 20 years of political talks, unrest, and treaties. The monarchy of the Chogyal rulers came to an end, and Sikkim moved from a protectorate (a state that is controlled and protected by another) to full statehood.advertisementSikkim's links to the Indian region go back centuries. Some early legends connect its rulers to India's ancient past.
After independence in 1947, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took on the task of bringing over 550 princely states into the Union. Sikkim stayed out of this process but remained in close contact with Delhi.In 1950, under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, India and Sikkim signed a treaty. This agreement allowed India to handle defence, communication, and foreign affairs -- areas that had been managed similarly during British rule.Over time, protests grew in Sikkim. Demands for democratic reform gained support. In 1975, a referendum was held. Most people voted to end the monarchy and join India.India's leaders -- Sardar Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, and later, Indira Gandhi -- each played a part in this shift. Patel laid the groundwork, Nehru handled early diplomacy, and Gandhi oversaw the final step.
The last Chogyal ruler with then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
advertisementTHE LAST MONARCHS OF SIKKIMThe Chogyal dynasty of Sikkim began its rule in the 17th century, following centuries of Tibetan influence that dated back to around the 7th century.At the time, the region was largely inhabited and governed by the Lepchas, Limbus, and Magars. In the early 1600s, a major Tibetan migration into the area led to the consecration of Phuntsog Namgyal as the first Chogyal.The dynasty maintained its rule for generations until British interest in the region grew. During the Anglo-Gorkha War of 1814-16, Sikkim aligned with the British against the Gorkhas of Nepal. The alliance resulted in territorial gains for the Chogyals at Nepal's expense.The Great Game of the 19th century between Soviet Russia and Britain opened new possibilities for the region. Both British India and Qing China viewed Sikkim as a strategic buffer.However, as Chinese control over Tibet declined in the early 19th century, the British extended their reach northwards. This culminated in British military expeditions into Tibet.By the late 19th century, Sikkim's isolation had ended. The kingdom was increasingly drawn into the geopolitical calculations of the British Empire, setting the stage for deeper integration in the decades to come.Though not formally annexed into Her Majesty's dominions, the sovereignty of Sikkim had been considerably tempered by a series of solemn treaties and diplomatic understandings with the East India Company and its successors.advertisement"While 'British Sikkim' existed, 'Independent Sikkim' remained as a rump state based in Gangtok, controlling about 2,500 square miles (6,500 km) of land," writes Sir Richard Carnac Temple in his journals.The most notable of these instruments is the Treaty of Tumlong, concluded in the year 1861, whereby a formal protectorate was established.
King of Sikkim with a group of Tibetan lamas (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
By this accord, the British assumed control over the affairs of Sikkim without laying full claim to its lands, permitting the native Chogyals to retain their throne, albeit under the watchful eye of imperial agents and the British agent has been deployed in the capital Gangtok.The Convention of Lhasa, held in 1904 following the British expedition into Tibet, further affirmed the articles of the earlier Calcutta Convention, thus strengthening the British position in the region and placing Sikkim ever more firmly within the imperial fold.advertisementINDEPENDENT INDIA AND SIKKIMAfter the British left India in 1947, the princely states of India had to make a decision whether to be part of India or the newly made Pakistan. Most of the states chose to be either with India or Pakistan; several, however, took a stance that turned into an uphill task for the leaders of India.Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the ruler of Junagadh remained undecided at that time.With no such direct control of the British over Sikkim, the challenge was on the table for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.In a most deliberate and statesmanlike endeavour, it has been recorded in the work The Origin of India's States by Venkataraghavan Subha Srinivasan, that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, in concert with the esteemed constitutional counsellor to the Assembly of the Realm, BN Rau, did set forth upon a noble enterprise -- to draw the Kingdom of Sikkim into the fold of the Indian dominion.A popular vote for Sikkim to join the Indian Union failed, and the Indian government was forced to agree upon special protectorate status for Sikkim.advertisementSikkimese people by then were allowed to travel on Indian passports abroad, and in times of security threats, India could override domestic powers as mentioned in the treaty.The growing Communist Chinese influence in the region made India worrisome, and the invasion of Tibet by China shook the chairs in Delhi.
Indian soldiers at the Chinese Border during the Indo-Sino War (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
"In 1959, the Dalai Lama's escape from Tibet highlighted Sikkim's strategic importance to both India and China. Prime Minister Nehru remarked that the Chumbi Valley, held by China, was a dagger pointed at the heart of India. During the 1962 Sino-Indian War, Indian forces moved to prevent a Chinese advance, leading to brief skirmishes," writes Andrew Duff in A Himalayan Chess Game.During the Sino-Indian War, the forces of India blocked the Sikkim passes to counter any possible threats from the region. The strategy remained successful, and Sikkim was never invaded by the Chinese.AND SIKKIM BECAME INDIA 'S 22ND STATEThe political turmoil in the state weakened the monarchy in a decade, and with a strong democratic presence in India, there were a higher chance of installing a pro-democratic government in Sikkim.advertisementIn the work Sikkim: Dawn of Democracy, a former RAW agent Sidhu recounts how, in 1973, he led a discreet mission to Gangtok.His official charge was to inform the Chogyal of Chinese movements, yet his true task was to advise the Sikkim Congress and support the kingdom's entry into India.That year, protests against the monarchy grew, surrounding the royal palace with thousands.The Chogyal, pressed by unrest, requested help from New Delhi, which sent troops. A tripartite agreement was signed between the Chogyal, the Indian government, and political parties to bring political reform.In 1974, elections were held, won by the Sikkim Congress under Kazi Dorji. A new constitution reduced the monarch to a figurehead. The following year, a referendum showed strong support to abolish the monarchy and join India.Soon after, India's Ministry of External Affairs introduced the Thirty-Sixth Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha to admit Sikkim as a state. Sikkim's new parliament then proposed a bill for statehood, which India accepted.Sikkim's journey to becoming India's 22nd state was marked by strategic challenges, diplomatic resolve, and shifting power dynamics -- from the fading rule of the Chogyals to decisive leadership under Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.Once even a base for CIA operations amid Cold War anxieties, Sikkim now stands firmly on the path of progress as an integral part of India's democratic fabric.Must Watch