This article explores the conscious creation of a national identity within Sikkim before it became part of India in 1975. It reviews theories of national identity construction and how those apply to the Sikkimese effort, led by the last monarch of independent Sikkim, Palden Thondup Namgyal. The construction of a national identity was closely related to the effort to maintain Sikkim's sovereignty. The article also discusses the continuing relevance of a shared Sikkim identity now that it is a state within the Indian Union. (Ben Deitle 2006-02-13)