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...

LO Edwards (circled) in group photographs of Wynberg-Allen School Staff The two articles I wrote about the reunion of Wynberg-Allen School members, Mussoorie  When the Alwynian Met after 41 years in Sikkim - I  and its second part,  When the Alwynian Met after 41 years in Sikkim - ii  hold special to me.  The article was itself a historical moment of an account of the reunion of old school teachers meeting up with their old students at Gangtok in late November. My Dhaba, Ghanashyam Pradhan at Parakha, contacted Shanker Menon, his old friend in Oman, through my blog, and I am happy I was the medium between them. This time around, my Dhaba contacted Mr LO Edwards, his old Headmaster at Wynberg-Allen School, and is very pleased to share the letter sent by his old Headmaster through this blog. He wishes that if any of his old friends come across this article, they can contact him. 

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.

Prem Das Rai, Member of Parliament from Sikkim (in circle) in his schooling days at Wynberg-Allen School, Mussoorie. Look out the hockey stick in his hand, the photograph does have some sweetness in it. The year than was 1968. Pic : Alwynians

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...