Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

Gangtok: The Government of Sikkim has transferred CT Wangdi, Additional Secretary in the Transport Department, to the Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department. LP Pandey, Additional Secretary in the Transport Department (Siliguri),who had been transferred as Additional Secretary in the Land Revenue and Disaster Management Department, has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Transport Department of Sikkim. Meanwhile, the state government has also appointed Benu Gurung, Under Secretary of Administration in the Home Department, as Assistant Public Information Officer (APIO) in the state Public Information Department. http://www.igovernment.in/site/sikkim-appoints-3-addl-secretaries/

Those people who are not natives of Sikkim but have settled there will not be exempted from taxes any longer, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told the Lok Sabha Tuesday. 'Since the late 1980s, income tax was to be levied on Sikkim (but was opposed). After intensive discussions for the last 18 years by successive governments, it has been decided that only those in the Sikkim subject register will be exempt,' said Chidambaram. This would mean that those who have settled in the state will not be exempt from tax in the manner that Sikkimese natives are let off. The natives figure in the 'Sikkim register', which will now form the basis for this differentiation. Those falling under the tax ambit now will have to pay taxes with retrospective effect from April 1, 1990. http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20080429/114691.htm

Darjeeling, April 21: Lakpa Bhuti overcame her natural embarrassment and got tonsured in public to show the Tibetan men and women standing around her that nothing should come before their love for phayul (fatherland). It was 10am at Chowrastha in Darjeeling and the Tibetans had gathered there to observe Black Monday to protest against the recent Chinese crackdown on their brethren in Tibet. Bhuti (top) shows the way to the other protesters and children with tonsured heads and the Tibetan flag painted on their faces. Pictures by Suman Tamang Until the moment Bhuti came forward and got her head shaved, the crowd appeared hesitant about its chosen form of protest. Bhuti’s act broke the spell. ...

Gangtok: Prakriti Giri of Darjeeling, one of the top three ‘Chhote Ustads’, will come to Gangtok on 26th April to sing at an evening programme at Palzor Stadium. This was informed by Mr. SB Subedi, Forest Minister and chairman of Patrakar Manch Committee at a press conference in a local hotel on Sunday. On the occasion, Prakriti Giri and Mr DD Bhutia, UD&HD Minister and chief patron of Swar Sikkim Bal Tara will be felicitated. Moreover Bal Tara winner Mr Ivan Lepcha, runner up Mr Bishwadeep Bashnet, 3rd ranking Mr Pranay Adhikari, last year’s Swar Sikkim finalist Mr Dichen Bhutia and Sonia Group from Singtam will present songs. Tickets are available at Jainco, Somani Building and Deorali Rathi. Entry fee for the evening musical programme is Rs 10 and Rs 30 for students and adults respectively, it is informed. http://sikkimreporter.com//

SHIVADEEP RAI Gangtok: Chief Minister Dr Pawan Chamling inaugurated the ‘Water Shed Memorial’ at Sherathang on April 19. Those present included serving and retired Army personnel and their families, cabinet ministers, government officials and civil guests. The Memorial has been erected to honour those soldiers who became martyrs dom in defence of the State of Sikkim at Sheratheng, in close proximity of the famous Nathula pass on the Sino-Indian Border. The Memorial site is the old Army Training Area and Golf Course at Sherathang which is easily accessible by road so that the brave martyr soldiers’ comrades, family members, friends and other visitors to pay homage. The site also presents a grand view of the famous Natula pass at the towering heights on the Sino-Indian Border, where the brave soldiers of the Indian Army stand to guard the frontiers. Black granite and grey Kota stones have ...

GANGTOK, April 15: The 117th birth anniversary of Baba Sahib Bhim Rao Ambedkar was observed yesterday here at the vicinity of Sikkim Legislative Assembly. Organized by the Social Justice, Empowerment and Welfare, the birth anniversary of the father of the Indian Constitution was graced by Governor Sudarshan Agarwal as the chief guest. The function started with a Baba bhajan followed by an offering of garlands to the bust of Dr. Ambedkar. While placing his brief remark, the Governor said, “Baba Ambedkar is always remembered as the visionary figure of India who not only drafted the Constitution of India but also empowered the weaker section of the society making them use of their social and political rights.” He also sai...

NIRMAL MANGAR GANGTOK, April 15: Candidates writing the Civil Service Examinations conducted by the Sikkim Public Service Commission (SPSC) have brought to light several discrepancies on the part of the department in conducting the exams. Few candidates on conditions of anonymity today told SIKKIM EXPRESS that the decorum of conducting a civil service examination have been vastly neglected by the concerned department. According to them, the rules and syllabus for the open competitive exam for the candidates for the appointment to the junior grade of the Sikkim State Civil Service has not been fully exercised. The question papers for various subjects were full of errors and in some cases, questions were totally out of context. In what could be called a rare ...

RABONG, April 13: The rains threatened to be put a dampener to the much-awaited event, but it failed to deter the spirits of thousands of enthusiastic fans, who braved the hostile weather to see their Chote Ustaad perform live. The grand finale of the five-day Rabong Discovered festival held at the Cho-Dzo lake here on April yesterday was an event to remember with Prakriti Giri being the star attraction. For the Chote Ustaad top 3 finalist, it was her maiden performance after her run for the title was cut short in the final attempt for the top 2 spot. The Cho-Dzo lakeside venue lit up with her energetic performance, in spite of bad weather and the inability of Indian Idol Prashant Tamang to make to the event because of the prevailing tension in Darjeeling. Sources indicated that Prashant...

GANGTOK, April 8: The current ban on scaling Mt. Eve-rest from Tibet and Nepal is proving a boon for mountain tourism in Sikkim. China froze expeditions to Mt. Everest after the crackdown in Lhasa, which has made Nepal divert trekkers to Sikkim as an alternative mo-untain tourism destination. “With no choice left we are diverting our clients to Sikkim for mountain expedition as the state has five peaks to offer to the mount-aineers,” Mr Pravath Prad-han an expedition organiser from Nepal said. He further added: “International clients made their bookings a month ago in advance. Therefore, we cannot refuse them as they have already made their payments. Under the circumstances, Sikkim is the best alternative to offer to our clients.” His counterpart in Sikkim Mr Barap Namgyal, secretary of Sikkim Amateur Mountaineering Association said they have received various bookings from Nepal especially for mountain expedition. “We are receiving a good number of clients from Nepal for mountain exped...

GANGTOK, April 7: Here is some good news for fans of Prakriti Giri. The Chhote Ustaad top 3 contestant will perform during the annual Rabong Discovered Tourist Festival which will begin from April 8. The organisers of the festival, the Rabongla Tourism Development Committee (RTDC) have confirmed that Prakriti would be attending the Festival and also performing at the Cho-Dzo, the venue of the fest at Rabongla. Besides Prakriti, two well known singers from Kathmandu, Sudip Giri and Anju Pantha have also confirmed their ...

Gangtok: On Monday at Palzor Gymnasium Hall Chief Minister Dr Pawan Chamling felicitated flower grower-participants of the ‘International Florishow 2008’ and other role players who made the first event of its kind in Sikkim a grand success. Mr. Somnath Paudyal, Minister for Agriculture and Horticulture, other Cabinet Ministers, senior officials and farmers were present. CM felicitated Mr. Navin Pradhan (Arthitect), Mr. Pankaj Thapa and Mr. Kamlesh Agarwal for their immense support and contribution in the Florishow. He gave Sikkim State Award, Rs. 1 Lakh each, to Dr. Ratan Kamal Dewan and Mr. KC Pradhan, the two most renowned floriculturists for their contribution in promotion of floriculture in Sikkim. The felicitation function was organized by the Department of Horticulture, Government of ...

Air India defender Nirmal Chhetri expressed excitement over being named for the senior national camp and credited a number of individuals for the same. Nirmal was part of the pre-national camp wherein he impressed Coach Bob Houghton and thereby was asked to stay back in Goa. Speaking to Goal.com, the youngster said, “My aim is to play for the senior national team and I’m happy for having pleased my coach here. I hope to continue that and gain a final spot in the squad.” “I’m just step away from the door to the national team. That excites me.” Nirmal mentioned that coach Bob Houghton asked him to play like he did at Air India and for sure, he shall blossom. On the pre-national camp, Nirmal said, “We would train in the evenings and have a gym session in the mornings. On some days, we were rested in the mornings. It was a refreshing experience.” The Sikkimese defender firstly credited his native coach Hangu Norden Litcha for his success. “I want to thank Mr.Litcha who was m coach in...

NEW DELHI: China continues to play cat and mouse game in the eastern Himalayas despite having implicitly accepted Sikkim to be a part of India as a quid pro quo for New Delhi's unequivocal recognition of Beijing's claim over Tibet. There have already been already as many as 40 "intrusions" by Chinese troops across the 206-km border between Sikkim and Tibet since January this year, say top sources. "Chinese intrusions largely take place in Ladakh, Arunachal and other parts of the Line of Actual Control but now the transgressions across the border into Sikkim are also going up," said a source. While the heightened Chinese cross-border activity in Sikkim has not actually alarm bells ringing in the Indian security establishment, as of now since the intrusions are being dubbed "minor", it has certainly raised some eyebrows. Some officials feel this is part of China's game plan to use Sikkim as leverage in its policy of exerting relentless pressure o...

GANGTOK, April 4: The pinch felt by the middle class due to inflation and increasing rise in the prices of essential commodities across the country has not left Sikkim alone either. Today, inflation shot to an all-time high of 7 percent in the country. SIKKIM EXPRESS today spoke to a cross-section of people in the market and tried to get their reactions on the rising prices and the dent it has made into the monthly ...

Gangtok, Apr 3 : Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia, a Buddhist who has refused to carry the Olympic torch to express his solidarity with the Tibetan cause, has become a 'hero' among the Tibetan community in Sikkim. According to reports, Bhutia has informed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) that he would not be part of the relay in New Delhi on April 17. Earlier, he had informed the media that he sympathises with the Tibetan cause and it is his way of standing by the people of Tibet and their freedom struggle. "We are happy with his decision of refusing to carry the Olympic torch. We feel he is one of those few Buddhists who have not forgotten their duty. We are glad that he is expressing his solidarity towards the Tibetan cause in this manner," said Tenzing Champa, a member of the Tibetan Youth Congress.  Bhutia's decision to not to carry the Olympic torch and sympathize with the Tibetans in their cause has made him a hero among the exiled Tibetans in ...

Siliguri has a high number of Tibetan exiles A powerful explosion has ripped through a house in the Indian state of West Bengal, killing at least three people. A police chief said the dead have not yet been identified, but that they may be Tibetans. The owner of the house, in the town of Siliguri, said that it was rented by a Tibetan exile who said he was using it in connection with a computer business. But the police maintained that after the blast they recovered a large quantity of explosives and detonators. They say that timers were also discovered. Police said those killed were perhaps members of an underground group who had rented the house by providing false identities. The BBC's north-east India correspondent says that Siliguri - in the north of the state of West Bengal - has been used as a base or transit point for a number of...

Gangtok: Mr. B.B.Gooroong, political advisor to Chief Minister, has condemned the statement of Mr. G.M.Rai, president of Sikkim Gorkha Prajantrik Party (SGPP), saying SDF government has given more than expected share of Assembly Seat Reservation to Bhutia and Lapcha communities. Speaking to this reporter on the issue Mr. Gooroong said, “SDF party respects people’s mandate. The party had gone to the poll in 2004 with the manifesto that we want to give 13 seats to BL community and the public had also allowed us to maintain the status quo. We are only maintaining status quo, nothing else”. He furthe said “If they (SGPP) think the seats are unjustified then let them obtain the people’s mandate. The Assembly election is not very far. It is coming in 2009. Let them show their strength to denounce this ...

During the course of the 18th & 19th centuries British forces were almost constantly engaged in conflict somewhere on the planet, mostly in and around the periphery of the Indian sub-continent. A consequence of these obscure and long forgotten colonials wars is a sprinking of memorials to the sons of Cumbrian gentry who died in these far flung places. One such is at Greystoke - (I think! This picture was taken by a friend and we omitted to make a record of where). It commemorates Lieutenant Edmund Hudleston, Royal Artillery, 6th son of William Hudleston of Hutton John, who died in 1889 at Padong in the eastern Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim, famous for the great peak of Kangenjunga. The reason Hudleston was there is quite complicated, a consequence of British imperial shenanigans. Sikkim came to the attention of the British Raj as a consequence of expansionist Nepalese policies which in 1814 led to war between the two countries leading to the defeat of the Nepalis in 1816. In 1...

From: zizipoka

D.B.Rai Gangtok: Chief Minister, Dr. Pawan Chamling, along with a team went on a recce in the capital on Monday presumable to check on the spot the progress of various development work now under way. About two hour tour on foot started around 2 pm from Tourism Department in MG Marg. The team accompanying CM included Minister for UD&HD, Mr. D.D.Bhutia, Minister for Transport, Mr. Menlom Lepcha, Minister for Sports and Youth Affair, Mr. P.S.Tamang, Gangtok MLA, Mr. N.K.Pradhan, Chief Secretary, Mr. N. D. Chingappa, District Collector (East), Mr. Bishal Chauhan and senior engineers and officers of UD&HD, Power, Public Health, Public Works and Finance departments, among others. From MG Marg, CM walked towards Tibet Road. At the crossing of Tibet Road and Kazi Road, he told the PWD Chief ...

GANGTOK, March 31: Members of the Rotary Club of Gangtok met the Governor Sudarshan Agarwal here at Raj Bhawan today and assured to sponsor the education of two bright girls coming from poor families. Anita Tamang and Sabina Thapa will be enrolled in Class V from this year to the Him Jyoti Girls School in Dehradun and all expenses including tuition fees, boarding, food and uniforms will be borne by the Rotary Club. According to the members, both Sabina and Anita study in State government schools and are good in studies although they come from very poor families. Both the girls along with their guardians and two officials from the State Human Resources Development Department were present at the Raj Bhawan today. The Him Jyoti School, a bold and ambitiou...