Prominent social activist and president of All India Tribes and Minorities Front Mangal Singh Negi passed away in Chandigarh at the age of 86 earlier this week.
Born in tribal district of Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh, Negi was one of the first Post graduates from the Tribal belt of the state. Negi was a multi faceted personality, a staunch humanist, writer, administrator, social activist, political crusader and an expert on the Constitution of India- Pioneering the issues of delimitation of Parliamentary Constituencies and Anti Defection Law.
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He was one of the first civil servants from the Tribal region of HP and served in various senior positions in the state governments of HP, Jammu and Kashmir and Central government. Negi was one of the principal persons instrumental in identifying and having the Scheduled Tribe Status accorded to Kannaura’s of Kinnaur.
He had raised issues, protested, agitated and participated for the Constitutional Rights and safeguards of Tribals, including granting of Scheduled Tribes Status for the Tribals of Chhota and Bara Bangal, Proxy Voting Rights for Tribals, Statehood for Jharkhand, Autonomous Hill Council for Darjeeling and Ladakh.
He has also authored five books on Buddhist Philosophy, Tibetan Culture, Indian Polity and Tribal History, including revising of the Himachal Jail Manual.
