Parisangh’s New Executive Committee Constituted in Kalimpong

Kalimpong (BGP Media Cell) 30 Aug : A 31 member new Executive Committee of Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) was reconstituted today in its triennial general meeting held at Pranami Balika Vidya Mandir. The new executive members re-elected Dy. S.P. (Retd) C.K. Pradhan and Advocate Dinesh Chandra Poudyal as President and General Secretary respectively while Madan Shanker was elected as Working President and P.K. Pradhan, Kiran Chandra Pradhan and Gyan Sutar were elected Vice-Presidents. In the executive meeting held immediately after its re-constitution Ramal Chhetri, Chandrakala Shilal and Kalyan Thapa were elected Secretaries while Smt. Lakshmi Baraily was elected the Finance Secretary and B.N. Pradhan and Leelabal Ghimirey as Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer respectively. The members of executive committee included B.K. Shilal, D.K. Chhetri, Milan Pradhan, Lalita Sharma, Kamala Rai, B.B. Basnett, B.B. Blon, C.K. Shrestha, Ganesh Chhetri, Gauri Nembang, Mahendra Chhetri, Sashi Sunam, Dr. Saroja Rai, Sumitra Chhetri, Rajen Chhetri, Nagendra Hamal and others. The meeting also nominated educationist and social activist B.R. Chhetri as a member to the Advisory Board.

During the first half of the session which included formal presentation of secretarial report and statement of cash account, C.K. Shrestha, who also happens to be the Working President in the central committee, evaluated the demerits of the organization experienced during the last three years’ tenure. He indicated that the face of forthcoming committees of the BGP could be visible in the Gorkha society of India since the organization had experienced unwanted difficulties in the past years due to its present code of conduct. He also said that the BGP members should now become assertive and take part in the society building process in effective manner. He, however, clarified that the BGP does not want its members become aggressive and over-reactive. He also gave reply to the queries raised in the meeting which was related to the present political condition of Darjeeling hills. He said that it has now become clear that the demand of Gorkhaland is being raised in two different ways i.e. on the basis of development, deprivation by West Bengal Govt in social, economical, educational, cultural spheres in one hand and as the matter of political identity criris at national level. According to Shrestha, recently Sushma Swaraj, MP/BJP had raised the issue of Gorkhaland in the Lok Sabha with reference to the problem of identity crisis of Indian Gorkhas and BGP had thanked her accordingly which was misinterpreted at regional level in Darjeeling hills.

In the meeting Raj K. Shrestha, BGP activist of Sikkim, who was present as the Observer, described the BGP as an umbrella organization of Indian Gorkhas and appealed the Gorkhas to unite under this national level association. Narayan Bhattarai, Vice-President, Sikkim state, highlighted the activities and future programmes of BGP in Sikkim. He disclosed that BGP state unit in Sikkim is contemplating to install a statue of Indian freedom fighter Sabitri Devi (Helen Didi) who was born in Sikkim and also start a career counseling cell in Gangtok for the benefit of aspirant unemployed educated youths mainly to facilitate them in filling up recruitment forms online.

Earlier, C.K. Pradhan, President hoisted the BGP’s flag and Jagaran song of the organization was sung by all the present members and guests who included representatives of various political organizations. The meeting was conducted by Kalyan Thapa and Chandrakala Shilal.

Rohit Goutam gets Sahitya Akademi travel grant

Nanda Kirati Dewan, Guwahati Correspondent: Deputy Editor of HMS Publication Group the publisher of a national nepali language magazine “Saparivar” published from the virtual capital of the North East, Guwahati Rohit Goutam has been awarded a travel grant of worth Rs.25,000/- form Sahitya Akademi New Delhi in the field Nepali literature. It may be mentioned here that Sahitya Akademi gives away travel grant to two literature person for all the languages granted by the constitution of India of two categories one of Rs. 5000/- and other of Rs.25000/-

Author of “Agnieshanan” a nepali language novel on casteism of Gorkha society was the creativity that established him as a writer. Shri Goutam was born and bought up in Goalpara district of Assam and finished his schooling with star marks over there. A graduate from Motilal Nehru College New Delhi in Mass Communication got his Masters in Political Science from prestigious Delhi University. He has been associated with various national hindi national newspapers also served as sub-editor ofRashtriya Sahara.

The awardee while speaking to this correspondent informed that he is all set to visit various places of Sikkim, Siliguri and Dooars to study arts, culture, literature and lifestyles of the people. He is expecting to meet people of all section of the society during his visit. Press Club of Sikkim has extended a welcome note to the literature turned journalist. All Assam Gorkha Stuidents’ Union(AAGSU), Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha, Nepali Sahitay Parishad and Nepali Sahitya Kala Niketan and all social organizations of Assam have congratulated Mr.Goutam. He has been serving as deputy editor of Saparivar since its inception.

SHIVA THAPA GOING ABROAD FOR TRAINING

SHIVA THAPA being greeted by people of Guwahati

Nanda K Dewan, Guwahati: Promosing international boxer Shiva Thapa, in order to hone his skills, wants to train either in England or in USA under highly rated coaches.Shiva won gold medal for India at Baku, Azerbaizan in May last year, Bronze medal in Yakutia, Japan in July last year and in May last he won a bronze medal in the prestigious AIBA World Junior Boxing Championship held at Yeravan, Armenia. In all the occasions he represented the official Indian team in the U-50 and U-52 kg categories.

Apart from the international medals, he has been the national champion in his weight category for the last couple of years.

City boy Shiva’s elder brother Govinda Thapa is also a successful boxer who won a silver medal in the 33rd National Games held here in 2007.

Shiva’s father Padam Thapa is willing to send the youngster abroad for further training so that he can earn laurels for the country as well as for the State. But due to acute financial hardship, the senior Thapa can’t fulfil is son’s venture. Now Padam Thapa is searching for sponsors and has also requested Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for financial assistance so that Shiva can be provided world class training.