Shillong, Nov. 14: A doctor from Garo hills has earned the distinction of being the first among the Garos to be the head of a medical institute.

Dr Rekhamoyee A. Sangma was appointed the principal of Silchar Medical College on November 9.

Sangma, who hails from Upper Chandmary in Tura, is the eldest sister of Meghalaya Rajya Sabha MP Thomas A. Sangma, who is also the first Rajya Sabha MP from Garo hills.

Sangma obtained her MBBS degree in 1973 and in 1979 she received her diploma in clinical pathology and subsequently in 1983 she passed her MD in pathology.

She later joined the Guwahati Medical College as a demonstrator in pathology department. She became the assistant professor of the Medical College in 1991 and associate professor in 1997.

Later, she became the professor of pathology and head of the department in 2002.