Bah RG No More

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 29, 2022

Robert Garnett Lyngdoh lovingly known as Bob passed away at his residence in Shillong on Friday afternoon. He was 62 years old.

With his untimely demise, the State of Meghalaya lost a statesman and veteran politician, a musician, academician and author

Bah RG Lyngdoh was a former Home Minister when militancy in the State was on its peak.

The former minister was on ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a hospital after his health condition deteriorated on, July 11 and breathed his last at his residence in Shillong.

He was the son of former MP and Meghalaya speakers Peter G Marbaniang and QE Lyngdoh.

Bob is brother of a former Meghalaya minister and MLA of Shillong East Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh and Superintendent of Police West Khasi Hills Herbert G Lyngdoh.

He was also the vice chancellor of Martin Luther Christian University (2013-2017).

RG Lyngdoh was also a noted musician with his favourite instrument being the harmonica.
He is co-founder and wrote songs for a nationally renowned blues band called “Mojo” in the late 1980s. Authoured and published a novel called “Who the Cap Fits” in 2005 and a book entitled “A Point of View” in 2013.

Achievement

Sucessfully organised, as President of the Meghalaya Table Tennis Association, the Junior National Table Tennis Championships for the first time in Meghalaya, in 2005. This was followed by the India Cup in 2007.

Successfully organised, as Chairman of the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum
(MTDF), the Drum Ensemble, consisting of 7,900 drummers from all over the NorthEast, in Shillong in 2006. This event went on to win a place in the Guinness Book of World Records and put Shillong, and the North East, in the national and internal media coverage for a positive reason. The following year the Guitar Ensemble, consisting of 1,700 guitarists, was again successfully organised in Shillong.

The MTDF has been actively involved in setting up community based tourism circuits in the rural sector in Meghalaya.

The MTDF has also been successfully organising annually, since 2005, the Shillong Autumn Festival, with major funding being sourced from the private sector.

He is elected to Meghalaya Legislative Assembly for two consecutive term 1998-2008: Served as Cabinet Minister incharge of various portfolios including Home – responsible for creating a peaceful environment conducive for economic growth; Tourism – introduced the concept of eco tourism and community based tourism projects; Urban Development – introduced the concept of house-to-house clearance of garbage thereby also creating employment for unskilled youth; Education – responsible for introducing a project for imparting vocational training in conventional institutions by converging with different line departments of the Government; etc.. Also was Chairman of the Meghalaya Economic Development Corporation, with status of Deputy Chief Minister – responsible for identifying economically viable sectors to develop and create job opportunities for skilled and unskilled youth.

He had made a political comeback by rejoining Congress last year.