Wichar, a weekly Nepali newspaper completed its 25 years of publication and celebrated its silver jubilee on May 19, 2007, at the Press Club of Sikkim, Gangtok in a simple but well-attended function. While addressing the gathering, Chief Guest Padmashri Sanu Lama and Chairman of Sikkim Academy lauded the contribution of Wichar weekly and commended its significant role towards the cause of well and balanced journalism in Sikkim.
During its last 25 years, Shri Lama expressed that Wichar played a significant role in highlighting the struggle of the Nepali language recognition movement and the demand for separate statehood of Darjeeling. Apart from that, Shri Lama further said that with the pioneering efforts of its editor, Subash Deepak, many poets and writers too started writing and thus the publication helped to nurture talent in the literary field.
An octogenarian sr. journalist and president of Press Club of Sikkim, Shri C.D.Rai, who presided over the function said that Wichar weekly played a significant role in order to build up the healthy growth of journalism during the last 25 years and commended the sincere dedication of Shri Subash Deepak and wished that the journey will well continue till to celebrate another golden jubilee.
In the function, literary persons Dr. Vatsa Gopal, Bijay Bantawa and K.N. Sharma spoke about the contribution of Wichar weekly during the last 25 years. Dr. Vatsa Gopal made it clear that in the early days of the growth of journalism in Sikkim, the newspaper played a crucial role to develop language and literature and reporting was very well balanced.
Another speaker Bijay Bantawa too remembered the early publication of Wichar and exchanged his experience of the past about the early days of the growth of journalism. He suggested that since Subash Deepak is only the literary person and journalist who is expertise in translating from Hindi to Nepali and vice versa in the region, a website of the weekly can well be launched and could give more contributions across the world about the land and people, culture and literature of the State.
Shri K.N. Sharma, another guest speaker lauded the language and style of Wichar and highlighted the contribution of Wichar in the literary and journalistic field in Sikkim and in the Indian Nepali-speaking region. Earlier, Editor, litterateur and sr. journalist Subash Deepak in his welcome address highlighted the objective of the publication and reiterated his commitment to the growth of journalism and literature.
It may be mentioned that Wichar was started in 1981 as a fortnightly news magazine and from 1983 to 1997, it was published as a bi-weeklies newspaper from 1997 onwards, its publication continued as a weekly which completed 25 years of its publication in May 2006.
On the occasion, a magazine Wichar comprising all the important news reporting, write up and relevant documents also were released by Chief Guest and President on the occasion. Shri Devraj Rai, manager, Prem Kumar Rai, staff, Miss Chanda Rai, computer operator of Wichar Publication were also felicitated with commendation certificates and cash awards. While the programme was conducted by Shri Rudra Poudyel, the vote of thanks was given by Devraj Rai.
The other dignitaries and renown littérateurs were Shri Sanu Bhai Sharma, Dr. Rajendra Bhandari, Shri Pradhumna Shrestha, Mrs. Santosh Nirash, Shri Chunilall Ghimirey, Shri Prabin Rai Jumeli, Shri Kuber Chandra Dahal and others.
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