Kalikho Pul
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Kalikho Pul | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 8th Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh | |
| In office 19 February 2016 – 13 July 2016 | |
| Preceded by | President's rule |
| Succeeded by | Nabam Tuki |
| Member of Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 1995 – 9 August 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Khapriso Krong |
| Succeeded by | Dasanglu Pul |
| Constituency | Hayuliang |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 July 1969[1] |
| Died | 9 August 2016 (aged 47) Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, India |
| Party | Indian National Congress (until 2016) People's Party of Arunachal (2016) |
| Spouse(s) | Dangwimsai Pul,Dasanglu Pul |
| Children | 6 (2 Deceased) |
| Occupation | Politician |
Kalikho Pul (20 July 1969 – 9 August 2016) was an Indian politician and former Chief Minister of the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh for a brief time in 2016.[2][3][4] He was elected five times from the Hayuliang Vidhan Sabha constituency representing the Indian National Congress. With the support of a few elected members of Congress and the opposing Bharatiya Janata Party, he took Chief Ministership of Arunachal Pradesh. However, the Supreme Court of India ruled against this appointment on various grounds. On 9 August 2016, Pul allegedly committed suicide by hanging at his official residence in Itanagar; Pul's supporters protested in Itanagar demanding an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Pul was born on 20 July 1969 in the Walla village of Hawai,[5] Anjaw district and belonged to the Kaman Mishmi ethnic group.[6]
Pul was 13 months old when his mother Koranlu died. His father Tailum died when he was around six years old after which he lived with his aunt's family and helped support the family by collecting firewood. He left school and when he was 10 years old joined a carpentry course at the Hawai Craft Centre where he earned ₹1.50 (1.8¢ US) per day as stipend. He also worked as a tutor there on temporary basis. He joined a night school on the advice of Mr. Ram Naresh Prasad Sinha, the Headmaster of Hawai Middle School in the mid eighties.[7] Impressed by Mr. Pul's progress, Mr Sinha took steps regarding his direct admission in the 6th standard. In that context, he prepared him for a welcome speech at a function held at the school where the education minister Khapriso Krong and Lohit Deputy Commissioner D S Negi were to be present. As Kalikho was able to impress the audience with his speech and a patriotic song, Mr. Sinha admitted Pul in Hawai Middle School besides offering him a place in the school hostel. As there was no official scholarship for poor students, the headmaster, with support from the Circle Officer of Hawai; was able to manage the job of watchman for Kalikho at the Circle Office, Hawai which paid him ₹212 (US$2.50) monthly. In his final year of school, he was nominated as the student representative with the title of General Secretary. Pul later earned a living by opening a paan shop, making bamboo fences and thatched houses, and building concrete structures. Later, he graduated in economics (part of Humanities stream) from Indira Gandhi College, Tezu[5] and also studied law.[8]
In an interview Pul mentioned that he did not believe in God, stating; "I don’t believe in God because had He been there, I wouldn't have suffered."[8]
In the 1980s, Pul suffered from a chronic gastric problem for six years and was not able to get financial help for the treatment. He considered committing suicide by jumping over the bridge in River Lohit but said that he could not "take the extreme step due to the presence of people".[8] He received financial help from Deputy Commissioner Negi and then completed his treatment.[8] He had special interest in social service, community service and attending to poor and destitute persons.[5]
