Kaleybung Ratna Puraskar awarded to Sudesh Pradhan - Prabin Khaling felicitated and awarded Journalist of Excellence

Kaleybung Ratna Puraskar awarded to Sudesh Pradhan - Prabin Khaling felicitated and awarded Journalist of Excellence

Sudesh Pradhan

KalimNews, kalimpongonlinews, blogspot. com and kalimpongnews.net, Kalimpong, 20 November: Social worker Sudesh Pradhan was conferred with 3rd Kaleybung Ratna Puraskar an award instituted by Kalimpong Press Club on 20 November during a ceremony held in Ramkrishna Rangamanch of Kalimpong. On the occasion of the Club's 12th foundation day and National Press Day the award was presented to Pradhan for his service to the needy and helpless. Pradhan is serving in Calcutta police and during his off hours had been serving the needy people of hills seeking medical and other assistance in Kolkata for many years.
Pradhan a true social worker by heart who helped and is helping people needing medical assistance in Kolkata was honoured with 3rd Kaleybung Ratna Puraskar a memento, a citation and a shawl by Prof. Dr. Mahendra P. Lama Vice Chancellor of Sikkim University the Chief Guest of the occasion.

Chief Guest Prof. M.P.Lama

Prof. M.P.Lama and Dr. G.C.Subba releasing INFODEX

Prabin Khaling receiving the Journalist of Excellence 2010 Award

Sudesh Pradhan receiving KaleybungRatna Puraskar

Prof. Lama addressing the audience

Prabin Khaling a member of Press Club of Sikkim and a a staff photo journalist of The Telegraph and correspondents of several Nepali and Hindi daily News Paper, was also felicitated as a young and budding journalist for his valiant effort and contribution in the field of Journalism. On the occasion of its foundation day the Club felicitated Khaling for Excellence in journalism. The Club will felicitate preferably a non local journalist (below 60 years) every year starting from this year.

The objective of initiating Kaleybung Ratna Puraskar is to encourage and honour distinguished persons of Kalimpong Sub Division who have contributed in any of the fields like Adventure (including rescue), Agriculture(all allied fields), Sports & Athletics, Business, Education, Environment, Literature, Journalism (Print and Electronic), Politics (Creative Politics), Profession (all), Social Service, Health Service, Medical Science and Research / Studies etc. The award includes a memento , angavastra (shawl) and a citation.

Prabin Khaling

Instituted with an objective to encourage the recipient who is under 60 years and is a less familiar face and not priviledged with awards or felicitated elsewhere and a present or past resident of Kalimpong, in the year 2008 the first Kaleybung Ratna Puraskar was awarded to three prominent figures Mr. Manoj Dahal, Mount Everest Climber, Mr. Bharat Chhetri, National Hockey player and Dr. Mikthuk S. Foning, an eminent Horticulturist. Mr. Sukh bahadur Tamang, a rafting rescuer of Triveni, Teesta was also felicitated for his outstanding rescue operations  rescuing the dead and living in disasters, flood and accidents.

Mr. Lalit Golay a renowned film and video actor, comedian, story writer, lyricist and director (all rounder of Bhanu Ra Pala) was honoured with 2nd Kaleybung Ratna Puraskar for his contribution in the field of Drama, Film and Video in the year 2009.
The club's news blog Kalimpong News (kalimpongonlinenews.blogspot.com) was also upgraded to the website kalimpongnews.net on the same occasion. A draft copy of the Club's Yellow page project INFODEX was also released on the day.

An inter college extempore contest was also organised in Nepali and English. Students of the two Colleges and Management Colleges of Kalimpong participated in the contest. Karan Khaitan of Kalimpong College in English language  and  Jharna Chhetri of Cluny Women’s College in Nepali language were adjudged the best and winner contestants by the Judges Mr. J.S Rai of SUMI, Mr. Y.S.Ghising of Kumudini Homes, Mr. Mani Bhujel of Jubilee High School, Mrs. Tekla Dhakal of St. Philomina’s School and Mrs. Gita Thapa of Kalimpong Girls HS School.
Chhatra kumar Tamang of 1^st yr Hons and Karan Khaitan of 5^th Semester BBA from Kalimpong College, Jharna Chhetri of 3^rd yr Hons and Kezia Lepcha of 2^nd yr Hons of Cluny Women’s College participated in the contest. Others were Pritam Thapa of 3^rd Sem BCA and Pankaj Dahal of BBA from BB Pradhan Management College; Durga Rai and Rachelmit Lepcha from Good Shepherd Institute of Hospitality Management and Suman Raut, 1^st semester of BBA from the Oracles School of Hospitality Management & Research participated in the contest.
The Chief guest Prof. Lama accompanied by his wife and daughter along with the Guest of Honour Dr.G.C.Subba Director of Cinchona and Medicinal Plantation were welcomed by the SUMI band.
During the programme Captain Prakash Mani Pradhan Director of BB Pradhan Management College was also felicitated for achieving the Best affiliated College award among the 20 other colleges as well as declaring the all round best of the competition of 2011 of All Heads of Listed ICSE Schools. The programme was live telecasted by News 7 in the sky scan cable network and online edited by Hill Channel.
Addressing the audience Professor Mahendra P. Lama said that the political parties championing the proposal of an alternative arrangement should keep in mind 4 basic points. Indian Government should consider the issue of Gorkhaland as a matter of national security or we should make it a matter of national security. It is an issue of national security so West Bengal government has no role in it.
The second point is that the body to be formed should have a constitutional guarantee. It should not be like DGHC which had no constitutional recognition. The issue of Dooars and Terai should be solved taking into consideration the Census of 1951. As the census clearly indicates the majority population of the Gorkhas in those areas the areas cannot be excluded from the area to be included in the demand of Gorkhas which is the third point. The fourth point is that the area demanded by the Gorkhas should be included in North East Council which will ultimately recognise the status of a state.He further added that everything including the problem of regularisation of adhoc staff of DGHC should be settled before coming into any sort of agreement.