Shillong: Well-known philanthropist Honsen Lyngdoh Mawphlang, who had constructed around 80km roads at his own cost to provide connectivity to remotest rural areas in Meghalaya and who owned a vintage car model, 1904 Ford T, used by Hollywood director late Richard Attenborough in Gandhi, is no more.
Family sources said he breathed his last around 6.52am in a hospital here on Tuesday.
Lyngdoh is survived by his wife, four sons, two daughters, and six grandchildren.
The popular Khasi businessman was to complete 82 years in March this year. Born on March 16, 1936, in a poor family and deprived of formal education, Lyngdoh had numerous achievements as a citizen and philanthropist.
He could speak English and knew Hindi and Nepali too. He started his career as a workshop owner but with self-acquired experience and expertise and modern vision, he was solely responsible for setting up his road construction firm Honsen Lyngdoh Earth Moving and Hauling Services.
Lyngdoh, the first Khasi contractor who used machinery in road construction and mining, had built major roads in the remotest areas of West Khasi Hills - 5th Kilo (Shahlang) to Langmar village (36km), Shahlang to Rongkhukre village in Garo hills (22km) and Shahlang to Dadengiri village (18km).
These roads, named by the villagers "Honsen Roads", became lifelines for the people as they connected villages with state PWD roads and national highways.
He also built a 3km road at Lower and Upper Mawïong in East Khasi Hills, and the road was taken over by the PWD.
Lyngdoh has also developed a number of playgrounds, not only in Meghalaya but Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, and helped organise various sports meet.
He also contributed to educational institutions by developing sites for school and college buildings and donated towards infrastructure development by keeping certain funds out of profits earned from his business.
Lyngdoh was the recipient of the Silver Elephant Award from then President Pranab Mukherjee on February 16, 2015, in recognition of his contribution to the Scouts and Guides movement. He was also conferred Lifetime Achievement Awards on January 30, 2015, by the fifth Northeast Consumer Awards for social entrepreneurship.
Lyngdoh was also the recipient of the National Citizens Award, 1991 on September 14, 1992, from former President late Shankar Dayal Sharma for his contribution to the development of northeastern states.
He was the lifetime member of the managing committee of the Indian Red Cross Society (Meghalaya branch), Kaziranga Wildlife Society, vice-patron of Meghalaya Bharat Scouts and Guides and was also known as the "father of Bharat Scouts and Guides."
The Meghalaya Bharat Scouts and Guides mourned his demise and conveyed condolences to his family.
