First Commissioned Officer of the Imperial British Army from Sikkim

Late Man Bahadur Tamang was born in July 1925, at Ranka, East Sikkim. After completing his Xth standard from Tashi Namgyal Sr. Sec. School (the first English medium school of Sikkim which was started in 1906 and was known as Gangtok School in its earlier days) in 1944, he was recruited in the Imperial British Army at the age of 19. After completing his training in various parts of India, he served in the Army Office in India. He could not take part in the Second World War, as it was in its last phase when he was recruited. With the withdrawal of the British from India, Lt. Tamang went to Singapore where he got Commissioned and worked there as a Sergeant in the British Army from 1948 to 1951. He was posted in Hong Kong in 1951, and remained there for one year. In 1952, he was again posted to Malaysia from where he got his retirement in 1957 and came back to Sikkim. A person with a great caliber and an enthusiast to acquire higher education, Lt. Tamang could not remain idle even after his retirement. He joined a new job as an accountant at B.T. College and studied in the Night Session at St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling. From there, he completed his Graduation in 1968 after which he again joined British Army as an Account Officer in Ilam (Nepal). After serving there for 14 years, Lt. Man Bahadur Tamang got his retirement in 1982 and made his way back to Sikkim. A close relative of Kavi Agam Singh Tamang “APATAN” and Lt. Tulshi Bahadur Chettri “APATAN”, Sergeant Tamang is probably the first Commissioned Officer of the Imperial British Army from Sikkim.

Due to his dedication and sincerity to serve the British Army, the Royal British Government honoured 21146964 Sergeant Man Bahadur Tamang of 7/7 Gorkha Regiment with King George VI Medal (Malaya) and King George VI Medal (Great Britain). Lt. Tamang died on 27th June 1990 at Namchi District Hospital due to throat cancer.

Source: Blogger Rajen Upadhaya