Former Meghalaya CM D.D. Lapang Passes Away

Fast Summary

• Former Meghalaya CM Passes away: Donwa dethwelson Lapang, former Chief Minister of Meghalaya, passed away at the age of 93 in Shillong on September 12, 2025.
• Health Issues: He had been battling age-related ailments for a considerable time. He is survived by his wife and two children.
• Early Life: Born on April 10, 1932, Lapang’s journey from a road construction worker to four-time CM was a remarkable “rags-to-riches” story. He worked as a school teacher, typist at the Assam Secretariat, and school inspector before entering politics.
• Political milestones:

– Entered politics in 1972 as an autonomous MLA for Nongpoh constituency.
– Joined the Congress party during his political career; later joined National People’s Party (NPP) in 2018.
– Became Chief Minister four times between 1992 and 2010 but never completed full terms due to dissidence within coalitions or lack of majority.

Indian Opinion Analysis

D.D. Lapang’s passing marks the end of an era both politically and symbolically for Meghalaya’s early statehood leaders who carved its identity after separation from Assam in 1972. His unique trajectory-from manual laborer to educator to political leader-served as inspiration rooted deep within democratic ideals of equality and upward mobility. While his frequent resignations reflect challenges common to coalition governments in smaller states like Meghalaya, they also emphasize inherent vulnerabilities within local governance structures reliant on shifting alliances.

Transitioning from Congress loyalty to joining NPP later underscores regional leaders’ shift toward aligning with more localized political ideologies over national platforms-a trend increasingly observable across India’s northeastern states aiming for autonomy-oriented portrayal while engaging India-wide developmental ambitions.

Read more: The Hindu