Indian Protectorate

Prior to Indian independence, Jawaharlal Nehru, as the Vice President of the Executive Council, pushed through a resolution in the Indian Constituent Assembly to the effect that Sikkim and Bhutan, as Himalayan states, were not 'Indian states' and their future should be negotiated separately. A standstill agreement was signed in February 1948.
Meanwhile, Indian independence and its move to democracy spurred a fledgeing political movement in Sikkim, giving rise to the formation of the Sikkim State Congress (SSC). The palace attempted to defuse the movement by appointing three secretaries from the SSC to the government and sponsoring a counter-movement in the name of Sikkim National Party, which opposed accession to India.
A state council was established in 1953 to allow for constitutional government under the Chogyal. Despite pressures from an India "bent on annexation", Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal was able to preserve autonomy and shape a "model Asian state" where the literacy rate and per capita income were twice as high as neighbouring Nepal, Bhutan and India.
People marched on the palace against the monarchy. In 1973, anti-royalist riots took place in front of the Chogyal's palace.

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Symbols of Sikkim

Emblem Tree - Rhododendron Ferrugineum Bird - Blood Pheasent Flower - Noble Dendrobium Animal - Red Panda

Sikkim is a state in northeastern India. It borders Tibet in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to India's Siliguri Corridor near Bangladesh. Sikkim is the least populous and second smallest among the Indian states. A part of the Eastern Himalaya, Sikkim is notable for its biodiversity, including alpine and subtropical climates. Sikkim is also home to Kangchenjunga, the highest peak in India. Almost 35% of the state is covered by the Khangchendzonga National Park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

History of Sikkim

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