Hill personalities feted for contribution to society

SNS, DARJEELING, 26 SEPTEMBER 21 : The Rotary Club of Darjeeling (RCD) on Saturday conferred excellence awards on people from different fields.

Among those felicitated were journalist Gideon Lepcha, hockey player Nisha Gurung state coach Kamlesh Rai, teacher Sarita Pradhan, Rahul Gazmer and Vik-Run Foundation.

"On Saturday, we conferred three vocational service awards, apart from Out-standing Youth Award, Community Service Award and The Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism," said Gopal Khemani, president, RCD.

While Sarita Pradhan is a former teacher of Nepali Girls' Higher Secondary School, Kamlesh Rai is a teacher of St Teresa Higher Secondary School and Rahul Gazmer is a coach of Warrior TaeKwon Do Dojang.

On the other hand, Kamlesh Rai has coached and officiated as manager for the under-17 Subroto Mukherjee National Schools Football tournament, the Jawaharlal Nehru Under-17 Hockey Tournament for Girls in 2015, 2016, and 2019 among other various achievements.

The Outstanding Youth Award was conferred to Nisha Gurung, who among many of her achievements, had represented the state at the Senior National Indoor Hockey Championship held in Maharashtra in 2012 and then in 2013 she represented the state at the Senior national Hockey Championship. On the other hand, Community Service Award was given to Vik-Run Foundation for exemplary service during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism was awarded to Gideon Lepcha, a journalist who started his career in 1985 before retiring nine years ago.

The awards were given away by chief guest of the function, Group Captain Jai Kishan, principal, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, who is also an honorary member of the RCD.