Sonam Narboo
Sonam Narboo | |
|---|---|
བསོད་ནམས་ནོར་བུ | |
| India Ambassador to Mongolian People's Republic | |
| In office February 1971 – February 1975 | |
| Preceded by | Incumbent |
| Succeeded by | Yudhishtar Raj Dhawan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 May 1909 Skara |
| Died | 2 February 1980 (aged 70) |
| Alma mater | University of Punjab, University of Sheffield |
| Occupation | engineer, politician |
| Awards | Padma Shri 1961 |
Sonam Narboo, also known as Sonam Norbu (Tibetan: བསོད་ནམས་ནོར་བུ), was an Indian engineer, administrator, and politician from Ladakh who played a pivotal role in the region's development. In recognition of his contributions, he was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1961.[1][2]
Early life
[edit]Sonam Narboo was born on 27 May 1909,[3] in Skara, a village near Leh, into a middle-class Buddhist family known as Nyachu.[4] His parents were farmers, and Narboo was the eldest of five siblings. He completed his early education at the University of Punjab and pursued higher studies in England, earning a degree in civil engineering from the University of Sheffield in the 1930s.[3][4]
Narboo is remembered for his engineering contributions during the Kashmir conflict of 1947–1948, particularly his role in constructing the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (Leh Airfield) in 1948.[5] Under challenging conditions, with limited resources and no modern equipment, Narboo led the construction of the airstrip at one of the highest altitudes in the world.[6] The project was completed in just three weeks and proved crucial in securing Ladakh during the tribal invasions supported by Pakistan.[5] This achievement earned him national recognition and the Padma Shri in 1961.[1][2]
In February 1971, Narboo was appointed as India’s first ambassador to the Mongolian People's Republic. His tenure as ambassador lasted until February 1975.[7][4][3] Upon returning to India, he was inducted into Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s cabinet in 1975 as Minister of Works & Power and Minister of Ladakh Affairs.[4][3] During his time in office, Narboo managed infrastructure projects in Ladakh, overseeing portfolios that accounted for over 70% of the state budget.[4] His tenure saw Ladakh being opened to international tourism and the establishment of air connectivity in 1977.[4]
Sonam Narboo died on 2 February 1980.[4] The Sonam Norbu Memorial Hospital, completed in 1980 and serving as the primary healthcare institution in Leh, is named in his honour.[2][8][9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Padma Awards | Interactive Dashboard". dashboard-padmaawards.gov.in. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
- ^ a b c "Attitude at high altitude". The Week. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
- ^ a b c d Wangchuk, Rinchen Norbu (2019-05-30). "This Forgotten Engineer Built The Airstrip That Saved Ladakh From Pakistan". The Better India. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Remembering Sonam Norbu, a great son of the soil". Reachladakh. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
- ^ a b Gupta, Anchit (2020-07-05). "Ladakh's Hero: Sonam Norbu and the Historic Airstrip of 1948". #IAFHistory. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
- ^ Stobdan, P (2019-05-26). "SONAM NORBU who saved Ladakh in 1948". Retrieved 2024-12-28.
- ^ "Ministry of External Affairs". eoi.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2023-07-08. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
- ^ SNM (2024-02-03). "The 43rd Death Anniversary of the Late Padma Shri Sonam Norboo was observed at Sonam Norboo Memorial District Hospital, Leh on February 2, 2024". SNM Hospital. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
- ^ "Ladakh: Best enjoyed responsibly!". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2024-12-28.