Meghalaya

The Meghalaya government has declared a holiday on Saturday across all districts falling under the Shillong Parliamentary Constituency as a mark of respect to the late Shillong MP Dr Ricky Andrew J. Syngkon, who passed away on Thursday evening. Announcing the decision during an obituary reference in the Assembly, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the government had decided to convert what was originally scheduled as a working day into a holiday within the entire parliamentary constituency. He explained that the decision was taken to allow people to participate in the funeral, which is most likely to be held tomorrow, based on information received by the government. The Chief Minister said the late MP was not just the representative of Shillong or of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills, bu...

Ricky AJ Syngkon, the Lok Sabha MP from Shillong in Meghalaya, died on the evening of February 19 from a heart attack at the age of 54. One of the state's two MPs in the lower house, his passing has triggered an outpouring of grief from leaders across the political spectrum. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led the tributes, posting on X: "Saddened by the passing of Dr Ricky AJ Syngkon, Lok Sabha MP from Shillong, Meghalaya. His commitment to public service and the people of Meghalaya will be remembered with respect. My condolences to his family, friends, and supporters." Prime Minister Narendra Modi echoed the sentiment, highlighting Syngkon's long-term dedication. In his X post, Modi stated: "Saddened by the passing of Lok Sabha MP from Shillong, Dr Ricky AJ Syngkon. He will be rememb...

Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and Lok Sabha MP, expressed his condolences following the untimely death of Ricky Andrew J. Syngkon, the MP from Shillong and a founding member of the Voice of the People Party (VPP). Syngkon, 54, collapsed on a football field shortly after a phone call about a game. Banerjee highlighted Syngkon's dedication to public service and his commitment to the welfare of his constituents, noting his accessible and grounded approach. His death is considered a significant loss for Meghalaya and the broader democratic community. Syngkon, elected in 2024 by a significant margin against veteran Congress politician Vincent H. Pala, was actively involved in advocating for the region's people, particularly in the Khas...

An emergency meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly was convened on Friday at 9:30 am following the sudden demise of Shillong MP, Dr. Ricky AJ Syngkon. Addressing reporters, Speaker Thomas A. Sangma said the BAC, with the consent of the government, decided to adjourn the House for the day, as the Budget presentation had been scheduled for Friday. He informed that a revised legislative calendar is currently being prepared and will be placed before the House on Monday for its approval. "Most likely, the Budget presentation will now take place on Monday," he said. The Speaker further stated that an obituary reference would be made in the House on Friday, after which the Assembly would be adjourned. Lok Sabha MP from Shillong, Dr. Ricky AJ...

The Meghalaya assembly session scheduled for today, February 20, including the state budget presentation, may be adjourned as a tribute to Shillong MP Ricky A J Syngkon, who died suddenly on Thursday evening. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced the likely suspension after discussions with Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who handles parliamentary affairs. A meeting of the Business Advisory Committee, chaired by the assembly speaker, is set for tomorrow to finalise the decision. Syngkon collapsed while playing futsal on the outskirts of Shillong. Doctors at a private hospital declared him dead at around 8:45 pm. "We have discussed with Deputy Chief Minister and in-charge of Parliamentary Affairs, Prestone Tynsong," Sangma said. He added that postponing proceedings, even the ...

In a series of developments at the state legislature on Thursday, the Government of Meghalaya announced plans to revisit and amend the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016, with the aim of strengthening legal provisions to tackle illegal immigration while ensuring the statute can withstand judicial scrutiny. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma informed the Assembly that the government intends to work closely with the central government and Parliament to revise the act in a manner that reflects both security concerns and constitutional standards, as lawmakers debated concerns about cross-border movement and enforcement mechanisms. The announcement came amid broader debates in the Assembly about immigration policy and legal mechanisms to monitor and regulate entry into the state...

Meghalaya’s iconic Double Decker Living Root Bridge has earned global recognition, securing the second position on Time Out’s prestigious list of the 19 most beautiful bridges in the world. The natural marvel stands just behind Stari Most, the historic stone bridge in Bosnia and Herzegovina.Published by global travel and culture magazine Time Out, the ranking celebrates bridges that blend beauty, history, innovation, and cultural significance. Meghalaya’s living root bridge was praised as a stunning example of sustainable indigenous engineering and harmony with nature.Located in the remote village of Nongriat near Sohra (Cherrapunji), the bridge—also known as the Umshiang Double Decker Living Root Bridge—is crafted from the aerial roots of Ficus elastica, or rubber fig trees. Over generat...

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday defended the Ride Shillong electric-bike initiative after opposition VPP legislator Adelbert Nongrum likened it to “building a bridge with no river” and demanded accountability. “The objective of urban affairs and of government as a whole is to find ways to address traffic and sustainability, where we encourage sustainable transportation,” Sangma told the Assembly. “The thought process going on (in the mind of the member) is what restricts us from innovating. As a government and society we need to try, innovate, and find ways.” He stressed that no state funds were used. “I made it clear in this reply that none of the government’s money was spent; this was a grant made by a German agency because we want cycling and walking promoted. When that h...

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday assured that the proposal to carve out the Shillong Agglomerate from East Khasi Hills as a full-fledged district will be examined against eight administrative benchmarks as part of broader efforts to streamline urban governance. Replying to a short-duration discussion moved by UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh, Sangma said, "for declaring an area as a district or sub-division, the following criteria are taken into consideration: extent of area, population, distance from the existing headquarters, lack of education and health services, general economic backwardness, public convenience, communication, and availability of funds." He said any such proposal must first be placed before a committee headed by the Chief Secretary, with members drawn from th...

Vishnu Bhardwaj Upadhyay secured 98.96 percentile in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains 2026 Session 1, emerging as the topper from the state of Meghalaya. The JEE (Main) 2026 Session 1 Paper 1 (BE/BTech) examination was conducted between January 21 and January 28 across 658 centres, including 15 cities outside India. Vishnu scored 99.84 percentile in Chemistry, 97.88 in Physics, and 92.24 in Mathematics. Vishnu, who prepared through the digital ecosystem of PhysicsWallah (PW), credited his success to the accessibility and structured approach of the Prayas JEE 2.0 2026 Batch. Talking about the results and his vision ahead, Vishnu said, "Preparing for JEE has been a long and disciplined journey for me. Coming from Meghalaya, having access to the right guidance made a significant...