Ex-Arunachal minister Thupten Tempa laid to rest in Tawang

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Itanagar: Former Arunachal Pradesh Minister Thupten Tempa was laid to rest on Friday morning at his Craft Centre Colony in Tawang, with full state honours.

Tempa passed away at the Ramakrishna Mission Hospital here on October 7, after a prolonged illness.

The cremation was done amidst chanting of mantras led by the Abbot of Tawang Monastery Shelding Tulku Thupten Tendar and senior monks.

Earlier the family members and relatives offered khada to the mortal remains of the departed leader, followed by a wreath laying by former Chief Minister Gegong Apang, Tawang DC Kesang Ngurup Damo, Commander of 40 Brigade, Deputy Commander 190 Brigade, and SP Bomge Kamduk.

The Tawang police presented a guard of honour to the departed leader and handed over the national flag to Tempa's wife Jigme Choden.

Chairman of the Department of Karmik and Adhyaymik Affairs (DoKAA) Jambey Wangdi on behalf of the family members conveyed gratitude to all for cooperation and support. Dr Sonam Wangmu recited a poem dedicated to the departed leader by a retired engineer SN Singh while the DC read out the condolence message of Chief Minister Pema Khandu.

The Arunachal Pradesh government has announced state mourning on Friday as a mark of respect to the departed leader.

On Friday, the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the state and in all state government offices outside the state, where the national flag is flown.

Born at Khrimu Village in Tawang to Rinchin Dhondup and Tsering Yangchin, Tempa was a beloved addition to a family of six brothers and four sisters.

His formative school education was in Kalimpong, Shimla, Bomdila, and Tawang. He graduated from St Joseph's College in Darjeeling and went on to acquire his MA and M Phil degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

He served the Tawang constituency for three consecutive terms from 1990-2004 as a minister in various capacities under Gegong Apang and Mukut Mithi.

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