Press Club gets new executive body, Bhim Rawat returns as president

Twelve members were elected uncontested to the executive body of the Press Club of Sikkim today, 20 August 2015. The sitting president Bhim Rawat returns for a new term as president with Dilli Ram Dulal as the new working president.

Denzong Boys win 3-match series against Press Club

GANGTOK, 07 Jan: The best of three football match series played between Press Club of Sikkim (PCS) and Denzong Boys (Senior) concluded today at Paljor Stadium with the latter winning the final match 3-1.
It may be informed that the three match series started on 04 November 2012 with Press Club emerging victorious in the first game scoring 3-0. With a one match lead over Denzong Boys, Press Club of Sikkim played its second match on 28 December 2012 which Denzong Boys won 5-1.
The final match played today was a keenly contested final with Press Club scoring a solitary goal through jersey number 10, Khituk Tongden Lepcha in the first half of the game. In the second half Denzong Boys took over the game with goals coming from jersey number 6, Karma Tashi and jersey number 22, Sonam Gurung. While Karma Tashi scored two goals, Sonam scored the match winning goal in the final minutes of the game taking the trophy away from the Press Club.
The winners took home the finals trophy along with the Man of the Series trophy which was awarded to Jigmee Lachungpa jersey number 11. The man of the match trophy was awarded to the Press Club captain, jersey number 7, Anand Oberoi.

Rural journalism award for Dikchu’s Wangchuk Bhutia

GANGTOK, NOVEMBER 19: The first ‘Grameen Patrakarita Puraskar’ [Rural Journalism Award], jointly instituted by the Raj Bhavan and Press Club of Sikkim to recognise rural reporting, will be conferred on North District correspondent of Sikkim NOW!, Dikchu-based Wangchuk Bhutia. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Selection Committee held today at Press Club of Sikkim.
The award has been instituted by the Press Club of Sikkim to encourage journalists reporting on rural news in Sikkim. The Governor of Sikkim Balmiki Prasad Singh contributed an amount of Rs 1.5 lakh to the PCS last year to institute the award.
The Minister for Information and Public Relations Department, CB Karki will hand away the award comprising of Rs 10,000 cash, citation and a shawl during the celebration of National Press Day on 23 November in Gangtok.
The celebration will also include presentation of positive grants to five journalists of Sikkim by the IPR Department.
The selection Committee had invited interested reporters to file their nominations supported by news paper cuttings or video footage. The last date of filing the nominations was 18 November and the Committee received six nominations.
Mr. Bhutia also contributes news for the local channel Nayuma TV and Nepali daily, Samay Dainik.
The Press Club of Sikkim has expressed ‘sincere gratitude’ towards the Governor for encouraging the scribes on rural reporting.

National media conference discusses prospects and problems of media in NE

GANGTOK, 07 Nov: Terming media to be the “light of democracy” Governor BP Singh today urged the fourth estate to keep the public interest in mind while performing their duties.
“Media, in my view, is the lamp of democracy,” said the Governor while inaugurating the national media conference on ‘Prospects and problems of Northeast media’ here at Chintan Bhavan today.
The national media conference was jointly organized by the Journalists Union of Sikkim (affiliated to Indian Journalists Union), Press Club of Sikkim and Information & Public Relations department, Government of Sikkim.
In his short address, Press Council of India chairperson Justice Markandey Katju spoke about the transition that India is undergoing and observed that media has a very important role in making this transition less painful. “Media must help the people overcome social issues plaguing the country”, he said.
Justice Katju further spoke on the problems faced by the North-eastern media and their mainstream media counterparts. “Journalists get low salaries and are exploited by the owners”, he said urging all to remain united for media welfare.
Speaking on the occasion, IPR Minister, CB Karki spoke on the growth of media in Sikkim under the Sikkim Democratic Front government. “We do understand the economic constraints of media in Sikkim and keeping this in mind, we have formulated the advertisement policy”, he said.
Mr Karki informed that the State government facilitated the formation of Press Club of Sikkim in 2012 which has emerged as the umbrella organization of journalists working in Sikkim. The Press Club of Sikkim is coordinating with State government to address the problems faced by the media, he said.
Earlier in his address, Indian Journalists Union (IJU) president, SN Sinha elaborated the problems faced by the Northeastern media and expressed his hope that the Gangtok conference will increase and expand mutual understanding among Northeastern journalists and those from the rest of the country.
Mr Sinha observed that there is little awareness in the rest of the county about the difficult situation in which the media functions in the Northeast. He highlighted the violent environment the media has to work in the northeast and cited examples where journalists of this region have been assaulted.
“This, however, is not the only problem the journalists in the region face. The real problem lies in the fact that they have just about no rights even to fair wages and job security. The media houses are small; the circulation of newspapers is low, their finances poor”, said Mr Sinha. He added that media in the Northeast require good financial packages from their respective State governments to sustain themselves.
The DAVP (Directorate of Audio Visual Publicity) has a policy to support small newspapers with government advertisements but the policy is not being implemented in proper spirit in these States, informed the IJU president.
“There indeed are good prospects before the media in the Northeast, if the governments can give the media proper protection and security that is their right and support them by strengthening their finances. The IJU can surely help frame such a policy if and when called upon”, said Mr Sinha.
Press Club of Sikkim president, Bhim Rawat presented the vote of thanks. The inaugural session was followed by an interactive session during which representatives from journalist associations made their presentations and placed memorandums to the PCI chairman.

Press Club to host national media conference

GANGTOK, 02 Nov: A national level conference on ‘Prospects and Problems of Northeast Media’ is being organized by Press Club of Sikkim (PCS) in collaboration with Information & Public Relations department here at Chintan Bhavan on 07 November.
The event is part of the decadal foundation day celebration of PCS and over 100 representatives from press organizations of all the states have been invited. Journalists from the neighbouring region of North Bengal including those from Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Siliguri would also be attending the seminar.
Chairman of the Press Council of India, Justice Markande Katju would be chairing the seminar while Governor BP Singh will be present as the chief guest along with the Chief Minister Pawan Chamling as the guest of honour.
The representatives from press associations of different states will be making presentations on the theme during the seminar.

Press Club marks decadal foundation day with Khangchendzonga Kalam Puraskar for Jigme N Kazi

GANGTOK, 17 July: Press Club of Sikkim [PCS] celebrated its decadal Foundation Day in grand manner today at Janta Bhawan. The function was chaired by former PCS president, CD Rai, while senior journalist and playwright, CK Shrestha, was present as the chief guest and Information and Public Relation Department Secretary, KS Topgay, the guest of honour.
On the occasion, the 8th Khangchendzonga Kalam Puraskar was conferred on senior journalist, Editor Sikkim Observer and Himalayan Guardian, Jigme N Kazi, while the correspondent of Hindustan Samachar news agency, Bishal Gurung was awarded the Laganshil Yuwa Patrakar Puraskar [Dedicated young journalist award]. Likewise, the Press Club of Sikkim also felicitated the Samay Dainik correspondent for Darjeeling, Mohan Lama, today.
Addressing the function, the chief guest, highlighted that journalists should not misguide readers and should always be proactive is searching out stories. He added that journalists are part of the society as others, but because they are part of the information media, had a more significant and more responsible role towards addressing social concerns.
IPR Secretary, Mr Topgay, in turn assured to extend all possible help and support for the development and welfare of the journalist fraternity and the Press Club.
PCS president, Bhim Rawat mentioned that the club has been working for the welfare and unity of the journalists in the state and urged everyone remain united. He expressed his gratitude to Mr. Shrestha for helping the PCS build a Journalist Welfare fund through his play performed by journalists in 2008.
The Khangchendzonga Kalam Puraskar awardee, Mr. Kazi, in his acceptance speech, said, “I believe that by conferring this award to this long-time black-listed man, who is forced to live in self-imposed exile in his own homeland, the Press in Sikkim is sending a clear message to those who care to listen. And that message is loud and clear: the Press in Sikkim wants to be more free and independent and those in power and the people at large should take note of it and respect its stand.”
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks speech proposed by Amber Gurung.

Press Club releases guidelines for Rural Reporting Award

GANGTOK, 06 April: The Press Club of Sikkim officially unveiled guidelines for the Gramin Patrakarita Puraskar [Rural Reporting Award] sponsored by the Raj Bhawan and instituted by the Press Club during a meeting of the awards committee held on Saturday. Governor Balmiki Prasad Singh has already released the cash component for the said award to the Press Club, it is informed.
A PCS press release informs that the meeting decided that the award be conferred every year on the occasion of the National Press Day, 16 November. A seven-member selection committee has also been constituted comprising of senior journalists Santosh Nirash, Ashok Chatterjee, Bijay Bantawa, Kishor Moktan and Amalendu Kundu along with president, Bhim Rawat and general secretary, Joseph Lepcha of the Press Club.
Only journalists with a minimum of 5 years experience in Sikkim will be considered for the award. Reports from rural Sikkim, starting from Jan 2012 to September will be considered for this year’s award. The committee had decided that priority be given to the reports on developmental works, tourism, education, health, infrastructures, economy, agriculture, culture and traditions of rural areas. Both print and electronic media journalists can send in entries.
The meeting also decided that all journalists working in Sikkim, including freelance journalists, will be eligible for the award, but part-time journalists will not be considered.
The Press Club of Sikkim which celebrates its 10th year this year, also released its decadal logo at the meeting.

4th edition of Vichar-Kala Sangam held

GANGTOK, 11 Mar: The fourth edition of the monthly programme of the Press Club of Sikkim, Vichar-Kala Sangam, was held at the Press Club of Sikkim on Saturday. The programme was chaired by senior journalist, Santosh Nirash. This is the monthly programme of the Press Club for the journalists of the state to showcase their talents and works.
During this edition, Prakash Adhikari, Prabin Khaling and Chandra Prasad Dahal recited their poems, Suman Gazmer presented his short story, Nita Nirash and Joseph Lepcha presented some light moments while Menuka Pandey and Ningma Tamang presented songs. Likewise, PCS president, Bhim Rawat read out his article on his travel experience from Gangtok to Sikkim.
In her address, Ms Nirash expressed her happiness on the active participation by the journalists in the programme to showcase their talents. She also appreciated the concept of the Vichar-Kala Sangam for journalists and encouraged them to further hone their talents.
The programme started with the welcome address by Hangma Subba and concluded with the vote of thanks by PCS cultural secretary, Sagar Chhetri.