He was 79 when he took his last breath at a hospital in Delhi on January 29, 2015 (Thursday) after prolonged illness. The death of Ghisingh, affirmed around 7: 07 p.m according to the doctors treating him.

In the 1980s, there was a popular saying in Darjeeling hills “Upar Mahakal and niche Subhas Ghising (God is up there and down here we have Subhas Ghising)” is now missed in hills. Subash coined the term Gorkhaland for the identity of Gorkha community residing in hills and across the country.

The death of the Gorkha leader Ghishing comes in at a time when GNLF was looking to come back to mainstream politics specifically after being ousted from power by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in 2007.

Ghisingh, once considered as the ‘king’ of the hills had become a famous icon in the hills after he lead a 28 months agitation for Gorkhaland that killed more than 1200 people before the leader accepted an autonomous body vis-a-vis the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC). Ghisingh ruled the DGHC for 20 odd years before he was hounded out from the hills in 2007 by his close aide Bimal Gurung who formed the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) breaking away from the GNLF.

The veteran leader, Ghishing had also coined sixth schedule status for the Darjeeling hills during his 20 odd years rule in Darjeeling hill.

The sixth schedule pact was signed in December 2006 but could not be implemented because of the GJM’s renewed Gorkhaland agitation under the direction of Bimal Gurung. The GNLF interestingly at present is banking on the sixth schedule status to make a comeback and is devoid of forefront leaders of Ghisingh’s time.

After formation of GJM and fresh Gorkhaland movement was on full swing Ghishing was forced to leave Darjeeling hill. The hill people under the banner of GJM did not allowed Ghishing’s wife dead body to enter the hills giving a tagged him (Ghishing) as a ‘betrayer’ of the hills who went against the sentiment of hill people. Later Ghisingh who resided at a rented house in Jalpaiguri shifted to Matigara near Siliguri and moved towards the hills before the parliamentary elections.

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