A leader mourned: MP Ricky Syngkon laid to rest; Meghalaya holds a holiday in his honor

Shillong: The mortal remains of Shillong Lok Sabha MP Ricky Andrew J Syngkon were laid to rest at the Sumer Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Ri-Bhoi district on Saturday, with a large gathering of mourners attending his funeral.The Meghalaya govt observed a holiday in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region on Saturday as a mark of respect to the departed leader.Syngkon, 54, a founding member of the Voice of the People Party (VPP), passed away on Thursday evening at a hospital in Shillong after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest while playing futsal in Mawlai Mawiong.On Friday, CM Conrad K Sangma visited Syngkon’s residence at Pohkseh locality in Shillong to pay homage. His body was later transported to his native village, Nongsder in Ri-Bhoi district.The Meghalaya legislative assembly adjourned its ongoing budget session on Friday after paying tributes to the late MP.A rising star in Meghalaya’s political landscape, Syngkon had served as an assistant professor in the department of economics at North-Eastern Hill University before entering politics. In the 2024 general elections, he won the prestigious Shillong parliamentary seat as a VPP candidate, defeating three-time Congress MP Vincent H Pala by a massive margin of 3,71,910 votes.