Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi


Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi is an Indian writer. He was formerly deputy commissioner. His first literary creation is a poem named Junbai'.
He is the recipient of India's highly prestigious award Padma Shri 2020 for his work in the field of literature and education.

Early life

Born on 13 June 1952 to late Tashi Phuntsu Thongchi and late Rinchin Chojom Thongchi at village Jigaon of present day West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, previously a part of NEFA. Yeshe Dorje Thongchi started his literary pursuit from his childhood school days. Although his mother tongue is a dialect called Sherdukpen spoken by few thousand people, he started practicing his writings in Assamese Language which was the medium of instruction in NEFA schools in those days and acted as a lingua franca among the various indigenous masses.

Career

His first poem Jonbai was published in 1967 in an Assamese Children's Magazine of same name when he was followed by some patriotic poems in some leading Assamese News Papers and magazines. It increased his popularity as a poet amongst his teachers, fellow students, friends and other residents of town of Bomdila, the headquarter town of the Kameng Frontier Division. Due to encouragement received from his teachers for writing one act plays on the life of tribal people of NEFA and on patriotic theme, Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi wrote several such one act plays and staged at several places. Himantar Dabanal Fire at Border one of his another one act plays, was amalgamated with another such drama and represented the state at National Dramatic Festival held at Bangalore. Thongchi gains immense popularity amongst the readers for the unique background of his writings as we as his use of simple and following language which was admitted by critics on later stage.
In 1977 he was appointed as Arunachal Pradesh Civil Service Officer.
Thongchi was inducted to Indian Administrative Service in 1992.

Awards

Novel:
Collection of Short Stories:
Folktales: