India, Sept. 13 -- Former Meghalaya chief minister Donwa Dethwelson Lapang passed away at Bethany Hospital in Shillong on Friday night. He was 91.

Lapang, who was born on April 10, 1934, rose from humble beginnings as a road labourer and school sub-inspector to serve as chief minister of Meghalaya four times between 1992 and 2008.

He was first elected to the state assembly in 1972 from the Nongpoh constituency as an independent candidate. Over the decades, he emerged as one of Meghalaya's most enduring political figures, holding several ministerial portfolios before assuming the top post.

Even after stepping away from active politics, he remained a respected statesman. In 2024, a life-size statue was unveiled in the Ri-Bhoi district to...