Eminent historian Prof David R Syiemlieh has received the prestigious Padma Shri award from President of India Droupadi Murmu on Monday.
Prof Syiemlieh has been conferred with the award for his outstanding contribution in the field of literature and education.
The award ceremony for the Padma Awards 2025 took place at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan in Delhi in presence of Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, ministers of the union and other dignitaries.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has congratulated Syiemlieh and said it is a well-deserved honour for a lifetime of dedication to knowledge and heritage.
Sangma said the historian is celebrated for his discovery of the date of martyrdom of Meghalaya’s freedom fighter U Tirot Sing, and for his profound research on the impact of colonial rule in Northeast India. “His work continues to illuminate the rich history of Meghalaya and the region,” he added.
Born on January 22, 1953 in Mutrapore, Sibsagar, Assam, Prof. Syiemlieh graduated with Honours in History in 1974 from St. Edmund’s College, Shillong. This was followed with an M. Phil in 1980 and Ph.D in 1985 from the North-Eastern Hill University. He taught in St. Edmund’s College (1977-1979) and NEHU (1979-2012) where he held several responsible positions including Dean Students’ Welfare; Head, Department of History; Controller of Examinations; officiated as Registrar and held the position of Pro- Vice-Chancellor. He was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh in October 2011. He joined as Member, Union Public Service Commission in 2012 and in 2017 he was appointed Chairman UPSC.
Syiemlieh’s first book British Administration in Meghalaya: Policy and Pattern, Heritage Publishers, New Delhi, 1989 established him as a scholar grounded in the history and culture of Meghalaya and the North East. This was followed by Survey of Research in History on North East India 1970-1990 and an edited volume with J. B. Bhattacharjee, Early States in North East India. His more recent publications are On the Edge of Empire: Four British Plans for North East India and Layers of History: Essays on the Khasi-Jaintias, a collection of 17 articles on the history and culture of the Khasi-Jaintias of Meghalaya. He coordinated the research, editing and publication of Meghalaya at Fifty 1972-2022, launched on 21 January 2022 on the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the State of Meghalaya. He is credited with researching and discovering the date of death and other details of the last days of U Tirot Sing, the Syiem/chief of Nongkhlawhima/state in the Khasi hills, Meghalaya, who took a leading role in resisting British expansion into the Khasi hills and died while under house arrest as a state prisoner on 17 July 1835. The day is annually observed in Meghalaya as a State holiday to commemorate the life, sacrifice and patriotism of this little known freedom fighter.
Prof. Syiemlieh has received a number of scholarships/fellowships including a Government of India Post Graduate Scholarship; Senior Fulbright Fellowship for research in USA; Charles Wallace Grant for research in UK and Indo-France Cultural Exchange Grant for research in Paris. He was elected President, NEIHA in 2010-2011. He was a Council Member for two terms of the Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi. He was a Council Member of the Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi for a term. He was elected President of the Modern India Section, Indian History Congress at its 73rd session, Bombay University in January 2013. He is on the academic council and board of management of several universities. In his continued support of education and literature he is Adviser, Meghalaya State Education Commission, Government of Meghalaya.
