Dr. Suchan Pradhan conferred 29th Dr Shova Kanti Thegim Smriti Purashkar

HISHEY WANGDI

GANGTOK, : Noted writer Dr. Suchan Pradhan was conferred the 29th Dr Shova Kanti Thegim Smriti Purashkar for his acclaimed poetry collection “Jhyalincha” at a ceremony held here on Saturday.

The award, instituted by Dr Shova Kanti Thegim Memorial Trust in 1998 to recognise outstanding contributions to Nepali literature, carries a cash prize of Rs. 50,000, a Tamra Patra, a shawl and a certificate.

Roads and Bridges minister Nar Bahadur Dahal attended the function as the chief guest, while Prof. Rudra Poudyal presided over the ceremony. Among those present were Saurav Lepcha, representing Trust chairman Dup Tshering Lepcha, Nepali Sahitya Parishad president Hari Dhungel, Sikkim Akademi representative Pradyuman Shrestha, principal secretary to the Chief Minister, S.D. Dhakal and several literary personalities from Sikkim and neighbouring States.

The gathering paid tribute to late Kiran Rasaily with a minute’s silence in recognition of his contributions to music and engineering. Rasaily had earlier been honoured by the Trust for his work in music.

The Trust also felicitated Chandra Prakash Bhattarai on receiving the Sahitya Akademi Award 2025. Selected poems by late Dr Shova Kanti Thegim were recited during the programme.

Accepting the award, Dr. Pradhan thanked the Trust for recognising his work and described the honour as a privilege. He recalled his literary journey and paid tribute to his parents. He also likened the Dr Shova Kanti Thegim Memorial Trust to the Taj Mahal, calling it a timeless symbol of love and respect for the late Dr. Shova Kanti Thegim.

Addressing the gathering, chief geust Dahal congratulated Dr. Pradhan on receiving the award and praised the Dr Shova Kanti Thegim Memorial Trust for its sustained efforts in promoting Nepali literature. He urged young writers to pursue literature with sincerity and said art and literature reflect the rich tradition, culture and heritage.

Prof. Rudra Poudyal congratulated the awardee and said the selection process for the award had remained transparent and merit-based since its inception. He also acknowledged the efforts of Trust chairman Dup Tshering Lepcha and his family in organising the annual literary award despite not belonging to the literary fraternity.

Poudyal proposed that all previous recipients jointly publish a commemorative volume highlighting the contributions of the Trust and its chairman, to be released during the 30th edition of the award next year.