Autographs of Ganju Lama
Subedar Major Gyamtso Shangdarpa, VC MM ADC (22 July 1924 – 1 July 2000) better known as Ganju Lama was born in the Kingdom of Sikkim on 22 July 1924 to Shangdarpa parents of the Bhutia Community. The etymology of the name "Ganju Lama" tells us that during the Chogyal period, sons of the Shangdarpa clan were expected to serve as monks. He enlisted in the British Indian Army in 1942 at the age of seventeen, as a rifleman in the 1st battalion, 7th Gurkha rifles. The Gurkha regiments were in dire need of manpower and would accept anyone who closely resembled a Gurkha. He is the only Bhutia recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. More about Ganju Lama
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Ganju Lama was born in Sangmo, southern Sikkim, India, on 22 July 1924. He enlisted in the Army in 1942 at the age of seventeen. His parents were both of Sikkimese Bhutia descent and lived in Sikkim, which made him unusual, as he was neither an ethnic Gurkha nor a Nepalese subject. At that time, however, Gurkha regiments were prepared to accept any recruit who closely resembled a Gurkha and lived near the border of Nepal. Ganju Lama's tribe lived in the kingdom of Sikkim. His name was Gyamtso Shangderpa, but a clerk in the recruiting office wrote it down as "Ganju", and the name stuck. After leaving the regimental depot in 1943, he joined the 1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles, near Imphal.
Ganju Lama was nineteen years old, and a rifleman in the 1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles, in the Indian Army during World War II. Read even more about Ganju Lama at Wikipedia
Ganju Lama was nineteen years old, and a rifleman in the 1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles, in the Indian Army during World War II. Read even more about Ganju Lama at Wikipedia
Traded items with a signature of Ganju Lama
The most expensive item with a signature of Ganju Lama (BATTLE OF JERSEY FDC SIGNED GANJU LAMA VC + 7 VC HOLDERS SEE DESCRIPTION) was sold in November 2012 for £47.00 while the cheapest item (UNIQUE - SUBEDAR MAJOR GANJU LAMA VC,MM SIGNED VICTORIA CROSS COVER) found a new owner for £8.50 in January 2019. The month with the most items sold (2) was March 2013 with an average selling price of £14.03 for an autographed item of Ganju Lama. Sold items reached their highest average selling price in November 2012 with £47.00 and the month that saw the lowest prices with £11.51 was June 2020. In average, an autographed item from Ganju Lama is worth £17.50.
Most recently, these items with a signature of Ganju Lama were sold on eBay - click here for more items.
| Item Title | Price | Store | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 15 x 10 cm Brooklet Card Signed by Rfm. Ganju Lama VC MM | £24.95 | |
| BROOKLET VICTORIA CROSS CARDS No13 Signed Ganju Lama VC MM | £11.51 | |
| BROOKLET VICTORIA CROSS CARDS No13 Signed Ganju Lama VC MM | £12.95 | |
| Ganju Lama VC - SIGNED - Victoria Cross - Burma - Gurkhas - India | £14.99 | |
| JS50/45/16A CAPTAIN GANJU LAMA VC,MM SIGNED VICTORY OVER JAPAN COVER - 84/99 | £13.29 | |
| JS50/45/16BA TULBAHADUR PUN VC & GANJU LAMA VC,MMSIGNED VICTORY OVER JAPAN COVER | £25.00 | |
| RARE - JS50/45/16 CAPTAIN GANJU LAMA VC,MM SIGNED VICTORY OVER JAPAN COVER | £21.00 | |
| RARE JS50/45/16A CAPTAIN GANJU LAMA VC,MM SIGNED VICTORY OVER JAPAN COVER | £11.50 | |
| RIFLEMAN GANJU LAMA VC,MM SIGNED - BROOKLET V.C CARD No 13 POSTCARD | £37.00 | |
| SIGNED BROOKLET CARD - RIFLEMAN GANJU LAMA VC - VICTORIA CROSS RECIPIENT WWII. | £24.99 | |
| SUBEDAR MAJOR GANJU LAMA VC,MM SIGNED BROOKLET VC CARD No 13 | £13.05 | |
| UNIQUE - SUBEDAR MAJOR GANJU LAMA VC,MM SIGNED BROOKLET CARD | £16.05 | |
| UNIQUE - SUBEDAR MAJOR GANJU LAMA VC,MM SIGNED VICTORIA CROSS COVER | £8.50 | |
| V/RARE JS50/45/16 SPECIAL TULBAHADUR PUN VC & GANJU LAMA MM,VC SIGNED COVER | £15.00 | |
| WW2 Gurkha Rifles hero Ganju Lama VC signed Postcard | £28.00 | |