GTA felicitates popular Hill litterateurs

SNS, KURSEONG, 27 DECEMBER: The Information and Cultural Department of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has felicitated three veteran literary figures from Darjeeling Hills with three different memorial awards. The awards were given away at programme organised by the GTA department on the occasion of the 91st Agam Singh Giri birth anniversary at St. Alphonsus School here today.

The GTA BoA chairman, Binay Tamang, handed over the Agam Singh Giri Award-2018 to veteran literary figure from Kursoong, Dr Jas Yonjon 'Pyasi.'

Former jailer and renowned literary figure from Daali in Darjeeling, Krishna Singh Moktan, was honoured with the Shiva Kumar Rai memorial Award-2018, while renowned singer, musician and writer from Pokhriabong in Darjeeling, Binod Syangden, was honoured with the Aruna Lama Memorial Award-2018.

While two awards contain a shawl, momento, gold medal and carry a purse of Rs 1 lakh each, the Aruna Lama Memorial Award carries a purse of Rs 50,000.The recipients thanked and appreciated the initiatives taken by the GTA to remember the literary figures and felicitate them.

"The GTA BoA is committed to developing the Darjeeling and and people from different walks of life, on different aspects," Mr Tamang said. "The GTA, is organising different programmes on different subjects, so that all these different legends from the Nepali community are honoured," he added.

Mr Tamang said he has taken initiatives to honour the different legendry literary figures and artists of Darjeeling Hills and from the Nepali community ever since he took charge as the executive member and in-charge of the GTA Information and Cultural Department in 2014.

"There should be such kind of culture to tallow and remember these different legendary people to inspire the coming generation," he said. According to Mr Tamang, they are going to introduce two more awards-Indra Thapallia Award and Padri Ganga Prasad Pradhan Award–from next year,

He also said to honour the legendry literary figure, Again Singh Giri, the GTA has also launched an e-book on Giri, where one can get inputs and write-ups of Giri.

The GTA also launched its 2019 calendar at the programme today.