Prabin Khaling honoured with Dr. Shova Kanti Thegim (Lepcha) Memorial Award 2025

KUNAL RAI

GANGTOK, : Education minister Raju Basnet attended the 28th Dr.ShovaKantiThegim (Lepcha) Memorial Award ceremony held at ChintanBhawan here on Friday. The prestigious event was organised by the Dr.ShovaKantiThegim (Lepcha) Memorial Trust to honour contributions in the field of Nepali literature.

The ceremony was graced by several distinguished guests including Padma ShriSanu Lama, Sikkim Akademi president S.R. Subba, Nepali SahityaParishad Sikkim president HariDhungel, and noted literary figures S.D. Dhakal, Prof. RudraPoudyal, and Dr.GokulSinha. Also present were State Information Commissioner KuberBhandari, Chief Minister’s press advisor C.P. Sharma, SPSC chairman KuldeepChettri, among other dignitaries.

Senior journalist and author PrabinKhaling was conferred the Dr.ShovaKantiThegim (Lepcha) Memorial Award 2025 for his acclaimed Nepali prose collection ‘Chiya Guff’. In addition, the trust felicitated prominent literary personalities Subash Deepak, BikramGautam, RupaTamang, and DeepaRai for their contributions to literature.

Speaking on the occasion, trust president Tshering Lepcha highlighted the legacy of the award, which has now been presented for 28 consecutive years. “Since the trust’s inception in 1997, we initially focused on honouring writers and poets from Sikkim. From 2014 onwards, we broadened the scope to include literary figures from neighbouring States as well,” he said. He added that the award was established in memory of Dr.ShovaKantiThegim, Sikkim’s first doctorate holder in Nepali language, who was deeply committed to the growth of Nepali literature.

He expressed pride in the fact that Sikkimese writers are increasingly being recognized at the national level, with several receiving prestigious awards such as the Padma Shri and Akademi honours.

In his address, ministerRaju Basnet expressed his gratitude to the organisers and congratulated the awardees. “It is a matter of great pride to witness the recognition of such literary talents. I urge our writers to document the true experiences of the State and bring them to light through literature,” he said.

Award recipient PrabinKhaling thanked the trust for the recognition and spoke about the need for a shift in literary approaches. “We must now embrace research-based and fact-driven literature, grounded in science, to engage the younger generation,” he said.

Khaling added that many senior writers have been a source of inspiration and that the award has strengthened his resolve to continue contributing to Nepali literature.