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Thutob Namgyal (1860-11 February 1914) was the ruling chogyal (monarch) of
Sikkim between 1874 and 1914. Thutob ascended to the throne succeeding his
half-brother, Sidekong Namgyal who died issueless. Differences between the
Nepalese settlers and the indigenous population during his reign led to the
direct intervention of the British, who were the de-facto rulers of the
Himalayan nation. The British ruled in favour of the Nepalese much to the
discontent of the chogyal, who then retreated to the Chumbi Valley and allied
himself with the Tibetans.
After a series of skirmishes between the Tibetans and the British near Jelepla,
the Tibetans were pushed back and the chogyal was put under the supervision of
Claude White, the appointed political officer in 1889. In 1894, he shifted the
capital from Tumlong to the present location, Gangtok. He was knighted in 1911. />
Thutob died in 1914 and was succeeded by his son, Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal. The Sir
Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital in Gangtok was built in memory of him in
1917.
Titles
1860-1874: Prince Thutob Namgyal
1874-1911: His Highness Sri Panch Maharaja Thutob Namgyal, Maharaja Chogyal of Sikkim
1911-1914: His Highness Sri Panch Maharaja Sir Thutob Namgyal, Maharaja Chogyal
of Sikkim, KCIE
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