Williamson A. Sangma

Williamson A. Sangma Biography

Captain Williamson A. Sangma was an Indian politician from north-east state of Meghalaya. He served as the first Chief Minister of Meghalaya, soon after the state was formed on 21 January 1972, and later came into power for three more occasions in the 1980s as well. He retained power during second state legislature elections. He also served as Governor of Mizoram during 21 July 1989 – 7 February 1990. He was a Garo leader, and first ever among the group to become Governor of Mizoram. He was a tribal leader, also known as a statesman, who played a magnificent role in the formation of Meghalaya state in 1972.

Williamson A. Sangma was born on 18 October 1919 in Baghmara village, South Garo Hills district, now a part of Meghalaya. He was into military service, prior to his entry in politics. He entered politics in 1952, when he got elected as Chief executive member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council. In 1954 a few Hill Associations held a meeting and pleaded for the establishment of a separate Hill state. It was done so to retain the identity of hill people and their culture and tradition, and thus demanded a separate state. Sagma accelerated the move successfully. Wilson Reade was the first one who put forward a suggestion of a separate state. It became an election issue in 1957 general elections in Assam.

After merging with Congress party, he always represented his hometown Baghmara in state assembly elections. After a lot of struggles, when the hill state was finally formed in 1972, he was elected as the first chief minister of Meghalaya. He remained on power during 2 April 1970 – 3 March 1978 representing All Party Hill Leaders Conference till 1976 and later Indian National Congress. He later served two more terms as CM during 7 May 1981 – 24 February 1983 and 2 April 1983 – 5 February 1988.

Published: January 10, 2019

Updated: January 10, 2019