Shantinagar celebrates 72nd Republic Day

Singtam, January 26: 72^nd Republic Day was observed by Shantinagar Gaon Sudhar Samiti (SGSS) at Badminton Court near Rani Khola Walkway.  Highlight of the day was the Annual General Meeting, launching of Samiti’s Calendar and felicitation of distinguished personalities of the society. SK Rai, AD, Singtam Food Godown was the Chief Guest of the day while SB Gurung, SHO, Singtam Police Station was the Guest of Honour of the day. Other distinguished guests included Sundar Rai, AEO, Khamdong BAC, representatives of different organizations, members of SGSS and others.

The National Tri Colour flag was hoisted by SK Rai that was followed by recitation of the national anthem. Krishna Chettri, President, SGSS in his welcome speech spoked about the role of organization in the society and different initiatives taken by Shantinagar Gaon Sudhar Samiti over the years. Anand Lamichaney spoked in brief about the importance of Republic Day. The Chief Guest and other guests released the official calendar of SGSS for the New Year 2021.

Devika Lamichaney, former Vice President of SGSS was felicitated for her contribution towards the upliftment of the society. She was presented a shawl and a felicitation letter by the Chief Guest. Different sections of personalities were also felicitated on the occasion. Those individuals included – SGSS Youth Icon Male – Prakash Pradhan, SGSS Youth Icon Female  - Rita Shepa, Ranjit Ram (working as cobbler at Singtam since 1967), Lallan Thakur (working as barber at Singtam since 1970), Penjor Bhutia (Social Worker), Lomas Dhungel (National Teacher Awardee 2020 and Roshan Prasad (International Philatelic Medalist).

Meritorious Student Scholarship for Class X pass out students from the member family of SGSS was also initiated. Rinchen Sherpa, studying in Class XI was selected as its first recipient. He received an annual cheque of Rs 5000 sponsored by LN Pradhan, Chief Advisor, SGSS. More than thirty members of Shantinagar Gaon Sudhar Samiti were presented with congratulation certificates for their selfless support and involvement in different activities of the Samiti. Sishir Pradhan, General Secretary, SGSS presented the annual report of the Samiti, he read out about various activities conducted by SGSS during the year 2020. Dhiraj Pradhan, Treasurer, SGSS placed the financial details of the year 2020.

SK Rai, Chief Guest of the day appreciated the generous efforts carried by the Shantinagar Gaon Sudhar Samiti over the years. In his speech, Rai congratulated the President and rest of the team for making a mark in the society. Other people to speak on the occasion included Sundar Rai, AEO, Khamdong BAC and TB Pradhan, Advisor, SGSS.

Singtam Sakha Guthi appreciates CM’s step on left-out nepali communities

SINGTAM, JANUARY 17: Newa Bhay Bowneykuthi (NBB), Singtam Sakha Guthi under Sikkim Newar Guthi remains grateful towards the State Government of Sikkim for the historic moment at State Legislative Assembly on January 11, 2021. 

Sikkim Government led by Chief Minister PS Tamang had passed out a resolution seeking Scheduled Tribe status for left-out Nepali communities i.e. Thami, Bahun-Chettri (Khas), Sanyasi (Jogi), Newar, Kirat Khambu Rai, Kirat-Dewan, Sunuwar, Gurung, Mangar, Bhujel, and Majhi communities in Sikkim Legislative Assembly session.

The tribal status resolution is a long-awaited and highly respected approach from the state government. It would benefit the different communities of Sikkim. We would like to acknowledge our sincere and deepest gratitude to the Chief Minister of Sikkim and every member of Sikkim Legislative Assembly for their sincere efforts of goodwill, says Binod Pradhan, President, NBB and Ganesh Pradhan, Advisor, NBB through this press release

Bihar defeats Sikkim in the second match of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021

Chennai, 13 January: The second match of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy was played today against Bihar at SSN College Ground, Chennai today, where Sikkim won the toss and chose to bat first. 

Left to Right : Md Ronak, Rajiv Malay Darjee and Md Saptulla Receiving The Sikkim Cap From Captain Robin Bist

In the first innings, Sikkim scored 110 runs in 20 overs with the loss of 8 wickets. The local boys Nilesh Lamichaney and Ashish Thapa gave a good start with the opening partnership of 43 runs. Varun Sood was the highest scorer for the side with 28 runs, Nilesh Lamichaney 24 runs, Ashish Thapa 22 runs, Anureet Singh 18 runs, Palzor Tamang 4 runs, Lee Yong Lepcha 3 runs, Robin Bist and Mandup Bhutia 1 run each. The turning track helped the opponent bowler Ashutosh Aman, who took 4 crucial wickets.

In the second innings, Bihar achieved the target of 111 runs in 19.1 overs with the loss of 2 wickets and won the match by 8 wickets. The debutant Rajiv Malay Darjee who has never represented Sikkim in any format showed a good game. In his 4 overs, he took an important wicket of Mangal Mahrour who was batting at 55 runs and was the leading scorer for the side. The second wicket was taken by Anureet Singh of Shasheem Rathour. The other two debutants for Sikkim were Md. Saptullah and Md Ronak.

Sikkim will be playing against Nagaland on 15th January at IC-Gurunanak College Ground, Chennai.

Sikkim defeats Mizoram in the Inaugural Match of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021

Chennai, 11 January: Sikkim won their match of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2020-21 against Mizoram by 10 wickets at Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Chennai today. 

 

Due to ground condition, the match was reduced from Twenty20 format to five overs. Sikkim won the toss and choose to field first. In the first innings, Mizoram scored 47 runs with the loss of 3 wickets, where Captain KB Pawan scored 27 runs of 13 balls, Pratik Desai 10 runs off 5 balls, Taruwar Kholi 6 runs off 7 balls. Varun Sood and Anureet Singh took 1 wicket each for Sikkim and a run-out was done by Mandup Bhutia of Pratik Desai. 

In the second innings, Sikkim made 50 runs in 3.4 overs without any loss of wicket and sealed the match. Anureet Singh scored 28 runs off 12 balls and Varun Sood 21 runs off 10 balls. SICA executives witnessed this victory as they are on their visit to Chennai for the tournament and happy with today’s performance and wish the team luck for the upcoming matches. Sikkim will be playing a total of 5 matches in the tournament and their next encounter will be with Bihar on 13^th January.

We saw the ‘animal man’: Nar Bahadur Sunar

 First Published on Friday, February 20, 2009

I was at Zaluk on the day most couples across the globe were busy celebrating Valentine's Day. More or less an exciting adventure was awaiting us when we came to know that there was a Yeti sighting at this remote place in 2004 in the month of April. Zaluk is a small place where the population is below 300 and the world-famous Changu Lake is an hour and a half drive from here. 

Shital Pradhan,  L.T Bhutia, ,Nar Bhadhur Sunar (eye witness), Pranay Pradhan, Beren Gurung and Praveen Pradhan (the spot where the yeti was sighted is behind the photograph )

On my trip around I was assisted by the members of Sangharsh, an upcoming local NGO from Rongli bazaar. We were a five-member team, Praveen Pradhan (President of Sangharsh), Pranay Pradhan, Swarup Rai and Biren Gurung. There are talks that Sangharsh would like to place a signboard of Yeti sightings. We also had great support from L.T Bhutia, Head Master of Zaluk Government School in our journey, who helped us identify the house of the Yeti eyewitness along with other necessary information required for us..

We came across Nar Bahadur Sunar, an old man in his mid-sixties and he believes that he along with other 10 labourers and a GREF Officer had come across a Yeti in the April of 2004 while going for their daily work. Sunar, a farmer now was working as a baidar then. They were on a GREF vehicle and the "animal man" as he called was on the other side of the road along the Valley walking two feet along the bushes of pareng (a bamboo variety). 

The distance between them was around 200 to 250 metres. They saw the back portion of the animal for over half an hour and suddenly it vanished around the bushes. It was noted that for over a few days, the army helicopter did a vain search over that particular region but nothing more could be known. Such an incident was not known till then and also had not been heard after that but the people of Zaluk do agree that on the particular instant, they do hear strange voices coming from the nearby valley. 

                                            The valley where the animal man was spotted

Well, the people who saw it claim it to be a "Sokpa" as Yeti is better called in this part of the land. For them, that animal was not a bear as it is commonly found in that region and they could identify with it. Another interesting part of the story is that after a few days of the incident, the villagers did find footsteps on the marshy land near the overflowing water that measured something like "from an elbow joint to a fingertip" long. Since the sighting of the so-called animal man was not reported to wildlife or to other such higher authorities I suppose we did miss a good opportunity in finding information surrounding the Yetis.

Nar Bahadur Sunar said a water pipe was recovered by the villagers along the bushes inside the forest that was crushed and thrown away from the water source so that no man or any other animal could do it. We talked with Jeena Chettri, daughter of Nar Bahadur Sunar who added that the animal was seen dragging his feet but they could not realize whether the animal had its feet on the opposite side as it is normally believed. The "thing" had black hair covered all over the body and the length of the hair was so much it looked as if a woman had let her hair free, told Jeena in her own words. Those GREF workers whistled and made a sound to that animal that it hurried inside the bushes, she added.

Well, it is too early to say that the animal man those people claimed was not the mysterious Yeti that the whole world is searching for. I had gone through the wrinkled face and the piercing eye of the man who was in his mid-sixties and did believe in his word that the thing he saw along with his daughter and his fellow workers was a Yeti. I do believe him that he could differentiate a bear from an animal they had never seen before that they believed looked more like a human.