Proud to be a Sikkimese - Sikkim State
Step into the vibrant world of Sikkim! Since 2007, my blog has been a tribute to this beautiful land. Explore Sikkim's history, heritage, sports, cinema, and biodiversity. Discover captivating articles, old videos, cherished photographs and the latest news. Join me in celebrating the essence of Sikkim's culture and natural wonders. Welcome to the oldest running blog on Sikkim!
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Monday, March 11, 2024
4th Shiv Lata Free Educational Scholarship Event Celebrates Outstanding Achievements of Master Ayush Kumar Prasad and Miss Edlina Subba
Rongli, March 9, 2024: The 4th Shiv Lata Free Educational Scholarship Event celebrated the exceptional accomplishments of Master Ayush Kumar Prasad and Miss Edlina Subba, who emerged as the top performers among the 24 participants in the scholarship exam held on February 17, 2024.
SGREWA Singtam Branch Honours Shri Kunjilal Mintri for Exemplary Service to Society
10.03.24: The Sikkim Government Retired Employees Welfare Association (SGREWA), Singtam Branch, expressed joy in honouring Shri Kunjilal Mintri of Om Himalayan Medical Hall, Singtam Bazaar.
Monday, March 04, 2024
Sikkim's Roshan Prasad's Literary Achievement at EPAEX 2024 Stamp Exhibition
04.03.24: Roshan Prasad, a renowned philatelist hailing from Singtam, Sikkim, won the Large Silver award in the Literature Class at the EPAEX 2024 Stamp Exhibition held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for his recently released book “The Stamp Chronicles – A Journey Through Philately” which was released at the Sikkim Awards 2023 by the Honorable Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri Prem Singh Tamang (Golay).
The Exhibition was
organised by Emirates Philatelic Association between 28th February – 3rd March
2024 at Dragon Mart 2, Dubai to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of UAE – China
diplomatic relations and to promote philately in the region where 66
participants from 9 countries participated. Roshan earned 78 marks out of 100
to secure his position and win the Large Silver medal.
This is the second book
Prasad has written on Stamp Collection with the motive to provide the readers
with a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the world of postage stamps, encompassing
topics such as stamp collection, the history and evolution of postage stamps,
practical guidance on starting a stamp collection journey, essential
accessories, building an exhibit, philatelic material selection, and exhibition
standards, all while nurturing a deeper understanding of philatelic terminology
and knowledge through features like Stamp Recognizing, Global Renaming, and The
Stamp Quiz.
His book has also been selected for the Specialized World Stamp Exhibition "EFIRO 2024" organized by the Romanian Philatelic Federation in accordance with the Federation Internationale de Philatelie (FIP) in Bucharest, Romania scheduled for April 2024.
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
GANGTOKPEX 2024 Celebrates Philatelic Excellence with Outstanding Exhibits
Shital Pradhan from Sikkim wins Vermeil
Singtam, 14.02.24: The prestigious GANGTOKPEX 2024 (Feb 7-8), organised by Sikkim Post and held at Sir Tashi Namgyal Senior Secondary School, Gangtok concluded on a high note, showcasing the extraordinary talent of philatelists from Sikkim and nearby region. The Vermeil Medal, the highest honour in the senior category, was awarded to Shital Pradhan from Singtam, Sikkim, for his captivating exhibit titled "Sikkim Through Philately," earning an impressive 72 marks.
In the senior category,
Silver Medals were bestowed upon Deepen Pradhan (Rhenock - India Pre
Independence), Sushil Karthak (Siliguri
- Famous Indian), Anand Yonzone (Darjeeling - The Postal System), and Nilema
Yonzone (Darjeeling - Women Empowerment), each receiving 62 marks for their
outstanding contributions.
Bronze Medals were shared
by Ganesh Kumar Pradhan (Rhenock - Philatelic Exhibition in India / Special
Covers on Sikkim), Sishir Pradhan (World of Football), Sunita Gurung (Singtam -
Darjeeling Postal Collection / Special Covers on Sikkim), Sushil Karthak
(Siliguri - Rhino), Rubenn Pradhan (Rhenock - India Miniature Sheet), Shanti
Bhuzal (Rhenock - Biodiversity), Anirudh Sharma (Rhenock - Toy Train Through
Philately), and Bipul Bikas Das (Siliguri - Himalayas), with each participant
earning a commendable 57 marks.
In the Junior category,
young talents were recognized with Silver Medals awarded to Sumiran Tirwa,
Ekashray Tamang, Ujjalata Singh Sunwar, Nancy Gurung, and Avishu Pradhan for
their impressive exhibits. Meanwhile, Subasna Basnet, Sudarshan Rai, Aakriti Rai,
Albin Sohit Chettri, Meghna Sharma, Tanishka Pradhan, and Sidharth Rasaily
received well-deserved Bronze Medals.
The philatelic exhibition
featured the unveiling of the Special Cover on "Chyabrung - A Musical
Instrument of the Limboo Tribe of Sikkim," designed by Roshan Prasad, a
renowned philatelist from Sikkim. Additionally, a Philatelic Workshop and Quiz
Competition for students, hosted by the knowledgeable Vivek Yonzone, from
Darjeeling, added an educational and engaging dimension to the event. Deepen
Pradhan from Rhenock, Sikkim had designed the beautiful logo of GangtokPex
2024.
Ganesh Pradhan, President
of the Sikkim Philatelic Society, has congratulated the Sikkim Post for
successfully conducting the event. Pradhan further extended his congratulations
to the awardee participants.
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Tuesday, January 09, 2024
Saramsa Garden : Picnic Destinations in Sikkim
Saramsa Garden in
Ranipool, Sikkim, is a beautiful botanical garden perfect for nature lovers.
Spread over acres of land, it's a haven of diverse plants from Sikkim and
beyond. You'll find all sorts of plants here, from colorful orchids to
medicinal ones and plenty of flowers.
The Garden is more popular these days for a best picnic destination to enjoy weekend holidays with family and friends. I have personally enjoyed this trip with my son and with newly installed playground item it is more enjoyable for kids. Pay Rs. 100 and enjoy the fun time at the Garden. Marriage parties and social function is other things that attract people to this place.
What makes Saramsa
special is its peaceful atmosphere and lovely pathways that wind through the
greenery. It's a great place for a relaxing stroll or to just sit and enjoy
nature's beauty. The garden also has a greenhouse where they take care of
delicate plants, making it even more interesting to explore.
Besides being a lovely
spot for visitors, Saramsa Garden is also an educational place. They organize
workshops and programs to teach people about plants and how to take care of
them. It's a fantastic opportunity to learn while being surrounded by the stunning
natural setting.
The distance from Gangtok to Saramsa Garden in Ranipool, Sikkim, is approximately 14 kilometers (around 9 miles) by road. It's a relatively short drive and can take around 30-40 minutes, depending on the traffic and mode of transportation. Many visitors to Gangtok often take a short trip to Saramsa Garden to enjoy its serene environment and beautiful botanical offerings.
Monday, January 01, 2024
Monday, December 18, 2023
Sikkim Herald- The Early Years
The history of Sikkim Herald dates back to the time of the monarchy when there were hardly any newspapers in Sikkim. A brief research was carried out by the IPR officials during the recent compilation of the Department's Achievement Report from where it is gathered that few monthly magazines were published during the erstwhile monarchy, such as Kanchenjunga by Mr. Kashiraj Pradhan, (1957), Sikkim Fortnightly by Mr. K.B. Thapa and other few publications.
With the establishment of the Publicity Department way back in the early sixties, the need to have an official news bulletin was felt by the then Sikkim Government to highlight its developmental activities in the form of a monthly news bulletin. As a result, the Sikkim Herald came into being. The first Sikkim Herald which was published in Nepali dates back to March 1959. The editorial board consisted of the following members-
1. Mr. T.S.Gyaltshen as Chairman
2. Mr. J.T. Densapa as Member
3. Mr. Mohan Pratap Pradhan as Member
4. Mr. M.M. Rasaily as Member
Mr. C.D. Rai was the editor of the first Sikkim Herald.
With time, Sikkim Herald evolved gradually, the name of the Publicity Department changed to the Directorate of Information Services and again the Press and Publicity Department during the seventies. Subsequently, with the merger of Sikkim with the Indian Union in 1975, and keeping with the directives of the Government of India, the Department was renamed as Information and Public Relations Department in 1978.
The growing workload and requirements of the time necessitated. the restructuring of the department. The Government invited Mr. M. V. Desai, the then Director of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi to report on the information task in Sikkim in 1977. Based on this report, different sections like Publication, Advertising, Visual Publicity, District Information Centers, Film and Photo division were established. Thus, the department fully took on the new challenges taking in its ambit, manpower training, up-gradation of its technical equipment etc. Gradually, over the years, the Sikkim Herald began to be published as a weekly in 1963 during the tenure of Mr. N.K. Rustomji who was the then Dewan of Sikkim. Later, Sikkim Herald came out in the form of a newspaper which was cyclostated. With time Sikkim Herald was published in Tibetan and then subsequently in Lepcha language. The Nepali and Tibetan editions of the Sikkim Herald used to be brought out regularly. The first Sikkim Herald in Nepali dates back to March 1959. The departmental team even came across a handwritten Sikkim Herald that was published in Nepali in 1967.
Till 2014, the Sikkim Herald was published in 12 languages i.e Nepali-1959, Tibetan-1968, Lepcha-1977, Limboo-1989, Bhutia-1997, Newari-2000, Gurung-2001, Sherpa-2001, Tamang-2001, Rai-2001, Mangar-2002 and Mukhia-2004. After May 2011, Sikkim Herald English and Nepali editions were brought in colour.