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

Today, he is remembered as Sikkim’s first COVID-19 death patient. Obituaries poured from different sections of the societies, including the ‘who is who’ of Sikkim. For many of his old students, being unable to attend their favourite teacher’s last walk remains the most unfortunate scenario in their lives. He was a highly respected individual, much appreciated for his simpleton lifestyle, and dedicated his life to the teaching profession. Without a doubt, Rongli has lost one of her proud sons. My Dhaba (my father’s elder brother), Ghanashyam Pradhan, lovingly called ‘GS Sir’, by one and all, was a retired former Headmaster of Phadamchen SSS. An educationist with vibrant thoughts, as shown in his teaching days, had been the trademark of his more than two decades of illustrious profession. He enjoyed his retirement life at Rongli, his birthplace, with his wife, two sons (Praveen Pradhan and Pranay Pradhan), and his grandchildren, who also contributed to certain social gatherings...

These newspaper cuttings belong from the personal collection of Late Pem Tshering and are now under her daughter Sabnam Lama. Late Pem Tshering had done marvelous work in putting off the newspaper cuttings that hit the headlines all over the world regarding the political turnover at Tibet in 1959 through the newspaper of Amrita Bazar Patrika, he passed away in 1975 and he was Inspector of Police, Frontier Check Post posted at Kalimpong.

Starting from today i shall be sharing a newspaper cuttings from the collection of Late Pem Tshering who had done a marvelous work in putting off the newspaper cuttings that hit  the headlines all over the world regarding the  political  turnover at Tibet in 1959 through the newspaper of Amrita Bazar Patrika. Late Pem Tshering passed away in 1975 and he was Inspector of Police, Frontier Check Post posted at Kalimpong.

It was wonderful to hear that my article helped two friends come across each other after more than four decades.  My article  When the Alwynian met after 41 years in Sikkim - I  and its second part  When the Alwynian met after 41 years in Sikkim - ii  helped Shanker Menon, a former student from Wynberg-Allen School, Mussoorie, now working in Oman, contact his old school friend Ghanashyam Pradhan at Parakha, Sikkim. The article itself was a historical moment: an account of a reunion of old school teachers meeting up with their old students in Gangtok in late November.

Dhaba (circled) with Class IX classmates with Mr. Firth  (1968) After a little while, the teachers came back. Mr. Pakianathan wanted to recharge his mobile voucher and he handed me Rs 500 note. It wasn’t easy to locate an ‘easy recharge mobile shop’ in the nearby locality of Hotel Tibet. Yet just near the SNT office, I found one shop that could do easy recharge. Due to the roaming facility I suppose, there was only Rs 100 balance left when I easily recharged the mobile number with Rs 300. It took me around 10-15 minutes to return back to the Hotel, by then the host and guest were comfortably sitting side by side sharing the affection of the old days.      I sat on one of the sofas near the window with the partly hidden Mt Kanchenjunga facing my back. I was closely watching from behind the old fellows in their own world of the late 60s. Dhaba had brought a Xerox copy of “ The Alwynian ”, the annual school magazine of Wynberg-Allen School which had photograp...

 Mr. Pakianathan, Dhaba, Mr. Firth,  Mrs. Pakianathan and Dhama at Hotel Tibet corridor When I first heard that my Dhaba (my father’s elder brother) was having a small reunion with a few of his teachers from Wynberg-Allen School, Mussoorie, out at Gangtok after 41 long years, I could not stop myself from asking him to take me along to be part of that precious moment. I was happy he did not deny me, but many thoughts were going on in my mind while we were driving to Gangtok from Singtam. Believe me when I say that Dhaba came all the way from Parakha, his residence, to pick me up along with Dharma ( his wife) and Pranay (his son). Dhaba was in high spirits and looking forward to meeting his teachers from all over London. I was excited and curious to know how the duo of student-teachers (I mean Dhaba and his teachers) would react to their first interaction after more than four decades and what their talks would be. These thoughts made me busier until we reached Hotel Tibet a...