The National People’s Party (NPP) organised a ceremony to commemorate the death anniversary of the founder of the party, former Chief Minister and Lok Sabha Speaker, Purno Agitok Sangma, at the NPP headquarters here today.
The ceremony was attended by senior office bearers of the NPP as well as members of the National People’s Youth Front (NPYF), the party’s youth wing.
Purno founded the NPP after breaking with the Nationalist Congress Party over the latter’s failure to support his bid for the Presidency. He died on March 4, 2016.
Office bearers who attended the event included NPP Working President Don Kupar War, NPP General Secretary Babeth K Sangma and ex-MLA Nihim D. Shira. An interfaith prayer meeting was held during the ceremony.
Addressing the occasion, Babeth recalled Purno’s contribution to the state and the country besides his contribution to the NPP.
Meanwhile, Purno’s son, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, his sister and Tura MP Agatha Sangma and other members of the family gathered at the deceased politician’s grave and paid a more public tribute to him in Dakopgre, Tura, today.
Meanwhile, the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) also marked the fifth death anniversary of Purno, paying the departed with a floral tribute and speeches remembering him.
Addressing the gathering, Vice-Chancellor Prof. G D Sharma said that USTM is highly grateful to Purno as he had played a vital role during the enactment of the USTM Act in the Meghalaya Assembly in 2008.
During the last five years, USTM has remembered Purno in many ways as a mark of tribute. In September 2018, the PA Sangma Chair Prof. for Tribal Studies was launched at USTM by Purno’s son and current cabinet minister James K. Sangma under which various research activities are being carried out.
The most ambitious project of USTM presently is the proposed PA Sangma International Medical College and Hospital, which will be established soon on the USTM campus.
USTM also instituted the PA Sangma Best Undergraduate Award, which was first given out during its fourth convocation held in September 2018.
