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

Arjuna Award for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games, officially called Arjuna Award is the second highest sports honour in India after Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. Constituted in the year 1961, the award comprises a bronze statue of Arjuna (a character from the epic Mahabharata), a certificate, a ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of ₹15 lakh (US$20,000 - as of 2020). Sonam Gyatso (1923–1968): Sonam Gyatso claimed fame when at the age of 42 became the second Indian to summit Mt Everest on May 22, 1965. He was then the oldest person to reach the top and spend more than 50 minutes the longest time at the peak. Recipient of Padma Shri (1962), Padma Bhushan (1965) and Arjuna Award (1965), Gyatso was the founder and Principal of Sonam Gyatso Mountaineering Institute at Rathong, Sikkim. He is the only person from Sikkim to get featured in an Indian Postage stamp. Jaslal Pradhan (born 24 April 1957):   Jaslal Pradhan, a boxing legend from Sikkim was an Arjuna Awardee in 1983....

Roshan Prasad, 23 yr old from Singtam, Sikkim pursuing his Charter Accountant studies from the Institute of Chartered Accounts of India in Kolkata was interviewed on Aakash Bangla Channel, a local TV channel from Kolkata for his collections on cricket and football memorabilia. The program was aired on November 13 th a Bengali sports program “Khel at 11”.  Talking from Kolkata, Roshan said it was a proud moment to get such appreciation. Roshan is a budding philatelist from Sikkim whose collection on cricket themes has attracted wider admirers.   His philatelic materials include a rare withdrawn Bangladesh postage stamp with the unsanctioned ICC logo and the second-oldest cricket stamp of the world from Pakistan issued in 1962.  Also included in his collection is an Official envelope of the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club, the second oldest cricket club in the world after Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). autographed by Sourav Ganguly Another item of value in Ros...

-- The Gangtok city recently hosted the 1st All India Women's Football Championship for the Pem Dorjee Memorial Cup at Paljor Stadium from October 7th to 15th, 2009. The tournament featured seven state women's teams from Assam, Manipur, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Goa, and Sikkim. The Manipur girls emerged victorious, defeating Orissa in a tiebreaker by a score of three goals to two. While the tournament did not attract large crowds except for the finals, I was particularly interested in the individual after whom the tournament was named. For football enthusiasts, he was known as "Nilu" or Pem Dorji, but beyond the state, he was better known as Pem Dorjee. During one of the semi-finals at Paljor Stadium, I overheard two teenage boys behind me discussing the match and expressing confusion about Pem Dorji's identity. They had never encountered his name before and mistakenly believed that he might have been a former female football player. I couldn't hel...

 Sikkimese striker Bhaichung Bhutia, the living legend of Indian football will be felicitated by the All India Football Federation on October 20 at Delhi on completing 100 Indian International caps, the first Indian to do so. According to the information received from  indianfootball.com and Saurabh Rai, Bhaichung Bhutia is to leave for New Delhi on October 20th itself in early flight. Bhaichung had successfully captained Indian team and defended his Nehru Cup this year against the mighty Kyrgyzstan. He was also the "Player of the Tournament". Pic Courtesy- Sikkim Students Association (Kolkata)

Goal.com Indian skipper Bhaichung Bhutia stated that one of the key reasons why the team has been performing well in the last few years is that there haven’t been many changes... India have won the Nehru Cup twice and also confirmed their participation in the 2011 Asian Cup by winning the AFC Challenge Cup. The Nehru Cup Player of the Tournament feels that this has got to do a lot with the same set of players being in the squad. “We were not very consistent in this tournament but we won when it mattered the most. The team has been doing well for the last two-to-three years. Previously, there have been too many changes in the national set-up and hence no continuity. “If you see the best teams around the world, they have a fixed set of players. It’s not that those who do well domestically wouldn’t get a chance as in the last camp, we did see a lot of new faces,” said the Sikkimese Sniper. Bhaichung was all praise for Subrata Paul but added that India need to improve on its defending from...

Bhaichung Bhutia, the only Indian football player to have played 100 international matches was a class junior to me during my schooling days. When i was in class xii studying at TNSSS as a PCB student he was at class xi at TNA but busy with football boots. I still remember watching him play against our school football team. The year than was 1992-93. The matches between TNSS and TNA was nothing short of what the cricketing world have curiousness when India plays Pakistan. None of the teams wanted to loose. TNSSS never had that excellent players like Sherap, Ram and Laxuman, the twin brothers and Bhaichung himself that capitulated many famous wins for their school TNA but they could give them a strong fight for the result of the matches. Bhaichung was already a star in his schooling days and his Boys club, the most popular football team at Gangtok. By the end of 1993 he shifted to Kolkata and he never looked back. So today when i read on newspapers people of all age praising for Bha...

Photograph shared by Arpan Pradhan

Photographs shared by Arpan Pradhan Bhaichung Bhutia being welcome at Gangtok after winning the dance competition on Sony Channel. The show Jhalak Dhikla Jaa had Bhaichung Bhutia sharing dance stage with many celebrity stars and eventually winning the show with his choreographer Sonia.

from Sikkim Reporter Gangtok: Padmashri Baichung Bhutia, India’s Ace footballer and now winner of 3rd Jhalak-dekhla-ja thanked all his well wishers in press conference on Sunday at a hotel here. He attributed his success in Jhalak-dekhla-ja to two reasons. One, a good choreographer like Sonia; two, SMS vote support he got from his well wishers in Sikkim, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and other places. “Within the two months of the dance competition, we (Mohan Bagan) won I-League Supper Cup football”, Baichung told reporters, adding, “I give first preference to football because that is my career while dance is only a part of my experience and now I will be back again playing football”. Sharing his dancing experience with reporters he said, “When I won the trophy that was my happiest moment but when I first performed in the stage I felt sad because first dance was not in sink with music and track”. He th...

from indian express Shamik Chakraborty He set the dance floor on fire, and after winning Sony’s Jhalak Dikhla Jaa III and a prize of Rs 40 lakh, Baichung Bhutia donated Rs 1.5 lakh for the cyclone victims to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The Indian football team captain went to the Writers’ Buildings on Monday and met state Urban Development Minister Asok Bhattacharya. The two then met Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Baichung handed over the cheque to the CM. “I have given my choreographer Sonia Rs 20 lakh, because I owe this victory to her. The rest I will donate to different trusts. Cyclone Aila has devastated Bengal. It’s time to stand by the victims and I would like to contribute in my small way,” Baichung said. He also urged other footballers to come forward in this moment of crisis. When asked about cricketers, Baichung side-stepped the question. “Everybody should come forward and offer help,” he replied.

Baichung Bhutia, Indian soccer captain and his choreographer Sonia after winning Sony's Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 3 trophy is set to celebrate their win along with the fans of Sikkim at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok on June 13. Chief Minister Pawan Chamling is expected to grace the occasion. Bhaichung had went on to become the first male winner of Jhalak. The final episode of this season Dikhhla Jaa will be telecast on Sunday

from India-Forums Gangtok, May 5 As many as 50,000 SMS votes have been cast in the past two weeks for Indian football captain Baichung Bhutia from this Sikkim capital alone to ensure his win on Sony TV's reality dance show 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa'. Gangtok, May 5 (IANS) As many as 50,000 SMS votes have been cast in the past two weeks for Indian football captain Baichung Bhutia from this Sikkim capital alone to ensure his win on Sony TV's reality dance show 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa'. With the competition getting tougher, people have started a mega campaign in Sikkim and in the hills of neighbouring West Bengal to garner support for the Sikkim football star. According to Thukchuk Lachungpa, president of the social organisation Citizens Forum, vouchers worth Rs.150,000 were bought to vote for Baichung. 'Citizens Forum has taken the responsibility to ensure that the son of Sikkim wins the reality show. He has shown considerable commitment towards ...

Pappu can't dance sala but Bhaichung Bhutai can. Except for some facial expressions, Bhaichung did a fantastic job. Bhaichung managed step by step to his choreographer Sonia Jaffrey. It was for the very first time Bhaichung Bhutia was performing on television apart from doing some soccer chat shows. The third season of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa aired on Sony TV had something surprised for its viewer when they roped the soft-spoken Bhaichung who was the last moment replacement for another sportsman Vijendra Singh and as Bhaichung told he wanted to overcome his fear of dancing. Great going Agya Bhaichung. We love you.

BY SHITAL PRADHAN --> --> This is a list of twelve news that i felt was the highlight of the year. It was not easy to pick up single news from each month but if my fellow readers help me to make another list of events that was missed i am sure it would be a nice idea. January : 10-kg radish grown in Sikkim February : The Best Tourism Performing State March : 1st International Flower Show concludes April : Bhaichung Bhutia a hero for Tibetans May : Prashant Rasaily loses in the finals of Gateway Acclaimed director Anurag Basu presents the young filmmaker from Sikkim with a Bollywood script June : Rousing homecoming reception for the Everesters July : UNKNOWN ASSAILANTS ATTACK "HAMRO PRAJASHAKTI" OFFICE SEVEN JOURNALISTS GRIEVOUSLY INJURED August : Gompa Dara Lake in West Sikkim disappearsLake disappearance in Uttarey leaves villagers baffled September: Sikki...