Mt. Zion School Shines at School League 2024 Chess Competition

23.07.24: Congratulations to Ayan Rai, Anmol Rai, Abelane Darnal, Manasvi Acharya, and my son, Suyog Shital Pradhan, from Mount Zion School, Kidzee, Singtam, for securing 3rd place at the School League 2024 Chess Competition, organized by the Sikkim Chess Association at TNA, Gangtok. Thanks to our dedicated coach, Rohit Gurung, for his invaluable guidance and support.

With over 10 schools participating, the school team performed exceptionally well. They have now qualified for the National Chess Competition in Assam next month.

Bhaju Binod Pradhan Elected President at NBB Annual General Meeting

21.07.24: The Annual General Meeting of Newa Bhay Bowneykuthi (NBB) was held today at the Nepali Sangathan Office premises at Lal Bazaar Complex, Singtam. The meeting saw the nomination of a new executive body headed by Bhaju Binod Pradhan as the President.

Bhaju Gopal Pradhan, the outgoing President of NBB, Singtam Sakha, presented the annual report of his two-year tenure. He extended his best wishes to the new team and expressed his and his team's support for strengthening the organization.

Bhaju Mahendra Pradhan, President of Sikkim Newar Guthi, chaired the meeting. In his speech, he congratulated the new team and shared updates on the activities of Sikkim Newar Guthi. He also invited the NBB members to participate in the forthcoming Indra Jatra 2024, which will be held in Gangtok. Other distinguished members present included senior advisors Bhaju Bharat Pradhan, Bhaju Suresh Pradhan, and Bhaju JK Pradhan. The welcome speech was delivered by Bhaju Ravi Pradhan, while Bhaju Manoj Pradhan hosted the first session.

Bhaju Bharat Pradhan, the Advisor, proposed the names of the president and the new Executive Committee members, which were accepted by the audience with great enthusiasm, leading to the formation of the new executive committee.

The new executive team was nominated as follows:

• President: Bhaju Binod Pradhan
• General Secretary: Bhaju Ajit Pradhan
• Vice President (Female): Meyju Dilu Pradhan
• Vice President (Male): Bhaju Ganesh Kr. Pradhan
• Treasurer: Bhaju Dhiraj Pradhan
• Culture Secretary: Bhaju DK Pradhan
• Publicity In-charge: Bhaju Shital Pradhan and Bhaju Sishir Pradhan
• Social Secretaries I & II: Bhaju Deepak Pradhan and Bhaju Manoj Pradhan
• Chief Coordinator: Bhaju Ashok Pradhan
• Coordinators: Bhaju Rahul Pradhan (Singtam Bazaar), Bhaju Pritam Pradhan (Shantinagar), and Meyju Ganga Pradhan (Sangkola)

In his speech, Bhaju Binod Pradhan thanked everyone for giving him the opportunity and requested their support for him and his team in the coming days. He promised to work for the development and unity of Singtam Sakha.

Sikkim Newar Guthi Congratulates Chief Minister P.S. Golay and Felicitates MLA N.B. Pradhan at State Level President's Meet

Gangtok: Sikkim Newar Guthi extended heartfelt congratulations to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri P.S. Golay, for being awarded the prestigious “Gorkha Gaurav Samman Award,” bestowed by Himalayan Darpan, the leading Nepali Gorkha daily newspaper in India.

They also felicitated Shri (Bhaju) N. B. Pradhan, Hon’ble MLA and Advisor, Govt. of Sikkim, with their heartiest congratulations and extended their best wishes for this new journey of trust and responsibility during the State Level President's meeting held on July 16, 2024 at the Newar Bhawan, Sichey, Gangtok.

In the meeting, all 43 Sakhas under Sikkim Newar Guthi attended, and Hon’ble MLA and Advisor, Govt. of Sikkim, Shri (Bhaju) N. B. Pradhan, was honoured as the Chief Guest of the meet.

Various PowerPoint presentations were made, outlining the current status of Newar people in Sikkim. Many issues were identified, and possible solutions were discussed. The agenda also included future activities relating to the preservation of culture. Hon’ble MLA and Advisor, Govt. of Sikkim, Bhaju N. B. Pradhan, addressed the gathering and requested all Sakhas to be united and support the central committee to meet the objectives of Sikkim Newar Guthi.

Singtam Honours Bhanu Bhakta Acharya with Cultural Extravaganza and Felicitations

Singtam, 14.07.24: The 210^th Bhanu Jayanti was grandly celebrated in Singtam. All age of people from Khamdong Singtam Constituency gave their huge presence to make the event a success. Shri NB Dahal, Minister Road and Bridges and Area MLA was the Chief Guest while Shri Mohan Pradhan Neeraj was the Sabha Shiromani of the day. Former Ministers and popular literary figures of Sikkim were the Special Guest present on the occasion.

The program was held in two phases. In the morning, Khadas were offered to the statue of Bhanu Bhakta at Bhanu Udhyan by the Chief Guests and the other guests. Students of Dongeythang Primary School performed Ramayan Path. The Cultural Procession Competition (Shobha Yatra) was organised from Bhanu Udhyan to Singtam Bazaar. Twenty-five schools and different social organisations participated in it.

In the second phase program held at Singtam Bazaar, Narendra Chettri, President, of the 210^th Bhanu Jayanti Celebration Committee addressed the audience. Other important people to speak on the occasion included Rohit Rah Maharaj, Sawan D Dhakal, BDO, Khamdong BAC and Mohan Pradhan Neeraj.

NB Dahal, the Chief Guest in his speech said - “Let us come together to honour the legacy of Bhanu Bhakta Acharya, a pioneer in Nepali literature and culture. May his teachings inspire us to promote love, compassion, and unity in our society, he added.

The top three winners of the Ramayan Path, Poetry Competition and folk-dance competition performed in front of huge crowds. Singtam SSS won the Shobha Yatra competition followed by Radiant Star Academy and Yakthung Tonjo Sangjonvo, Singtam.

Seventeen personalities in and around Singtam were felicitated on the occasion. Those included – NB Dahal (Area MLA), Mohan Pradhan Neeraj, Tshering Sherpa, Shyamashree Sherpa, Mahesh Dahal Sangam, Pema Sherpa, Raghuveer Agarwal, Gajanand Agarwal, Dr. AH Khan, KB Baniya, Paljor Bhutia, Yadu Prasad Gautam, Som Bdr. Tamang, Dilip Subba, Prava Gazmer, Safiullah, Adalat Prasad.

Traditional Costume exhibition was also held in the female category was won by Singtam SSS, followed by Yakthung Tonjo Sangjonvo, Singtam and Sonamati Memorial SSS Khamdong. In the male category, Devi Prasad Bastakoti stood first. Krishna Dawari was the winner of the Khado Jagawney competition.

Special mementoes were presented to Suresh Kumar Tamang, President, Singtam Nagar panchayat, Lakpa Moktan, Kamal Subba, Neil P. Chettri, Arjun Chettri, Madan Tamang, Chunnilal Ghimirey, Binod Dhungel, Arjun Chettri (Gangtok), DK Subba, Pasang Tamang and Mangaljit Rai.

Singtam's 210th Bhanu Jayanti Auditions: Folk Dance, Ramayan Path, and Poetry Winners Announced

 11.07.24, Singtam: The two-day audition competition for Nepali folk dance, Ramayan Path, and poetry concluded at Nagar Panchayat, Community Hall, Singtam. Shri MB Dahal, former Minister, was the Chief Guest on the inaugural day and witnessed the Nepali folk dance competition in both the inter-school and Open categories. More than 23 dance groups participated in the competition. The winners will now perform at the Bhanu Jayanti event on July 13 (Saturday) at Singtam Bhanu Udhyan.

Sonamati Senior Secondary School, Radiant Star Academy, and Sumin Linzey Secondary School secured first, second, and third places in the Inter School competition, respectively. Atulnia Aritar (Khamdong), Nim Dance Atelier (Singtam), and Natraj Kala Kendra (Singtam) were the top three in the Open Category. Sushma Yonzone, Anu Padhan, and Dinesh Sunar were the judges for the dance competition.

Dorjee Sherpa, Block Development Officer, Regu, was the Chief Guest on the second day, which included audition competitions for Ramayan Path and Nepali poetry in both Inter School and Open categories. The judges were Mohan Pradhan 'Neeraj,' Dr. Manorath Dahal, and Mina Subba.

Sumin Lingzey Secondary School, Dongeythang Primary School, and Sakyong Chisopani JHS secured first, second, and third places in the Junior Inter School competition. In the Senior Inter School competition, Singtam Senior Secondary School, East Point Senior Secondary School, and Sonamati Senior Secondary School finished first, second, and third. In the Open Category, Nishan Dulal stood first, while Meghna Dhakal and Gayatri Sharma secured second and third places.

In the Inter School poetry competition, East Point Senior Secondary School, Ralap Secondary School, and Badong Thangsing Junior High School stood first, second, and third in the junior category. Sirwani Senior Secondary School, Sonamati Senior Secondary School, and Ralap Secondary School secured first, second, and third places in the senior category. Ramesh Khanal, Kripesh Singh, and Nishant Dulal stood first, second, and third in the Open Category.

Sikkim's Cultural Treasures at Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh

From India's Ranji Trophy Hero to USA's T20 World Cup squad: The Rise of Milind Kumar

Cricket fans in Sikkim fondly remember Milind Kumar, a Delhi-based batsman who made history for their state. He joined the Sikkim cricket team as a guest player and set a new record during the Ranji Trophy 2018-19 season, scoring an incredible 1,331 runs. This achievement made him the highest run-scorer of that season and a local hero.

Milind's stellar performance caught the attention of many. In 2019, he was chosen to play for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Over his career, he played 46 First-Class (FC) matches, 65 List A matches, and 61 T20 matches. In 2021, Milind announced his retirement from Indian cricket and decided to follow in the footsteps of former India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand and other Indian players like Smit Patel, Harmeet Singh, and Siddarth Trivedi. He signed with Minor League Cricket in the USA.

In June 2023, Milind's cricketing prowess earned him a spot with the Texas Super Kings during the inaugural season of Major League Cricket. In March 2024, Milind was selected for the United States cricket team for a series against Canada. He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut on April 7, 2024.

His performances and consistency led to his inclusion in the USA squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, co-hosted by the USA and West Indies. 

Prasad Brothers of Singtam Badminton Club Shine at Li-Ning State Badminton Championship

01.07.24: Poorvansh Prasad of Singtam Badminton Club emerged victorious in the Boys Singles U-13 category at the Li-Ning State Sub Junior and Junior Ranking Badminton Championship-2024. His brother, Porvash Prasad, was the runner-up in the Boys Singles U-15 category. The championship, held on June 29th and 30th at the Indoor Badminton Hall in Namchi, was organized by the Badminton Association of Namchi under the aegis of the Badminton Association of Sikkim.

Congratulations to Poorvansh and Porvash Prasad for their outstanding performances. 

"SHANKAR: A Captivating "Rizak ki Maryada" Theatrical Experience in Sikkim

The National School of Drama, Sikkim Repertory Company's "SHANKAR," directed by Ajay Kumar, completed its two-day run (June 29-30, 2024) at the Studio Theatre, Nepali Sahitya Parishad, Development Area, Gangtok, Sikkim.

The Nepali play was adapted from the "Rizak ki Maryada" a Rajasthani story by Vijaydan Detha. Probably the first musical play stagged in Sikkim. The play had everything that could be an audience delight. It had the essence of comedy and tragedy and was well performed. The background light was well used. The Nepali dialogue (translation to Nepali by CK Shrestha) with the witty screenplay in the middle added its flavour.

The biggest highlight of the play was its music which adapted as the scene progressed. The lyrics were beautiful and had an Indian taste. Each and every actor who even had a two-minute dialogue excelled. Bhand 1 and 2, Bhand's wife, Seth 1 and 2, the King and his Queens, Dewan, Courtiers, King's Brother-in-law and Barber made the play interesting.

The story - The story features a character, a Bhand, who can take on various forms. He arrives at a wealthy merchant's house disguised as a sage. The merchant and his family become his devoted followers. Over the next few months, their devotion grows to such an extent that the merchant donates all his wealth to the sage, who is actually the Bhand in disguise. However, at this point, the Bhand reveals his true identity, declaring, "I am not a sage." The merchant is devastated and asks why the Bhand abandoned his sage disguise after acquiring so much wealth. The Bhand responds, "This is the dignity of Rizk (livelihood)."

In the story, the Bhand later takes on a new form at the behest of a queen and kills her tyrannical brother. In the end, he killed himself. By sacrificing his life, he upheld the dignity of his livelihood. Such faith signifies that giving one's life is more important than taking it.