Shillong locality honours Bidhan Chandra Roy and regional icons

A century-old neighbourhood in Shillong has honoured Bidhan Chandra Roy, a doctor and the first Chief Minister of West Bengal, as a key trailblazer for Meghalaya. The Rilbong locality, which was set up after land was given for settlement in 1925, also honoured 24 other prominent figures who shaped Shillong and the northeast through work in fields like literature, education, healthcare, politics, and sports.

Key Figures

Among those honoured are James Joy Mohon Nichols-Roy, a pioneer of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, and four-time Meghalaya Chief Minister Brington Buhai Lyngdoh, who is seen as the father of coalition politics and the MLA Scheme in India. Another notable figure is Neil Nongkynrih, who founded the Shillong Chamber Choir. Manas Chaudhuri, president of the Rilbong Centenary Celebration Committee, noted that Bidhan Roy founded the Shillong Hydro Electric Company and brought the first electric lights to the city in October 1923 using a hydropower project at Bishop Beadon Falls. This project helped lay the foundation for what later became the Meghalaya State Electricity Board and MeECL. Roy also owned two properties in Shillong that were given to the government, including Ray Villa, now the Circuit House, and BC House. In June, the High Court of Meghalaya closed a Public Interest Litigation about Ray Villa after the Public Works Department agreed to set up a bust, a garden plaque, and historical exhibits at the Circuit House.

Constitutional Impact

Nichols-Roy became the first tribal representative on the Assam Governor's Council in 1921 and joined the Assam Legislative Assembly in 1937. He pushed for tribal rights and autonomy, and became a key architect of the Sixth Schedule, which was adopted on September 7, 1949, and took effect on January 26, 1950. Meanwhile, Lyngdoh introduced the 50-50 governance formula to split an Assembly term between two parties, and also pioneered the MLA Scheme and a theory that Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers should be elected directly.

Context

Honours and memorials in historic urban localities often highlight figures whose historical contributions bridge different states and regions. The development of early civic infrastructure like electricity and governance frameworks in the northeast continues to influence modern administrative boundaries and local governance structures today.