Thutob Namgyal

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Maharaja Sri Panch Sir Thutob Namgyal, KCIE (1860-11 February 1914) was the chogyal (monarch) of Sikkim between 1874 and 1914. Thutob ascended to the throne succeeding his half-brother Sidekong Namgyal who died issueless. Differences between the Nepalese settlers and the indigenous population during his reign led to the direct intervention of the British, who were the de-facto rulers of the Himalayan nation. The British ruled in favour of the Nepalese much to the discontent of the chogyal, who then retreated to the Chumbi Valley and allied himself with the Tibetans.

After a series of skirmishes between the Tibetans and the British near Jelepla, the Tibetans were pushed back and the chogyal was put under the supervision of Claude White, the appointed political officer in 1889. In 1894, he shifted the capital from Tumlong to the present location, Gangtok.

Thutob died in 1914 and was succeeded by his son, Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal. The Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital in Gangtok was built in memory of him in 1917.