Chogyal
The Chogyal were the monarchs of the former Kingdom of Sikkim, which belonged to the Namgyal dynasty. The Chogyal was the absolute monarch of Sikkim from 1642 to 1973, and the constitutional monarch from 1973 to 1975, when the monarchy was abolished and the Sikkimese people voted in a referendum to make Sikkim the 22nd state of India.
History
From 1642 to 1975, Sikkim was ruled by the monarchy founded by Phuntsog Namgyal, the fifth-generation descendant of Guru Tashi, a prince from the Minyak House who came to Sikkim from the Kham region of Eastern Tibet. Chogyal means 'righteous ruler', and was the title conferred upon Sikkim's Buddhist kings during the reign of the Namgyal Monarchy.The reign of the Chogyal was foretold by the patron saint of Sikkim, Guru Rinpoche. The 8th-century saint had predicted the rule of the kings when he arrived in the state. In 1642, Phuntsog Namgyal was crowned as Sikkim's first Chogyal in Yuksom. The crowning of the king was a great event and he was crowned by three revered lamas who arrived there from three different directions, namely the north, west, and south.
Chogyal kings of Sikkim
Titular chogyals
The son from the first marriage of Palden Thondup Namgyal, Wangchuk Namgyal, was named the 13th Chogyal after his father's death on 29 January 1982, and crowned on 19 February 1982; the Government of India did not recognize this coronation, and the position no longer confers any official authority.| Name | Reign start | Reign end | Notes |
| Palden Thondup Namgyal | 10 April 1975 | 29 January 1982 | Son of Tashi Namgyal |
| Wangchuk Namgyal | 29 January 1982 | Incumbent | Son of Palden Thondup Namgyal |