Friday, Jul 18, 2025 17:30 [IST]
Last Update: Friday, Jul 18, 2025 00:24 [IST]
Karma Paljor honoured with
‘Kanchenjunga Kalam Purashkar’
GANGTOK, : Veteran journalist and East Mojo co-founder Karma Samten Paljor was on Thursday honoured by the Press Club of Sikkim (PCS) with its highest award, ‘Kanchenjunga Kalam Purashkar’ 2025, during its 23rd foundation day celebration here at Chintan Bhavan.
Similarly,
SIKKIM EXPRESS photojournalist Pema Wangchen Lama was conferred with the
‘Laganshee lYuva Patrakar Samman’ 2025 award by the PCS on the occasion.
Rural
Development minister Arun Upreti, the chief guest for the event, handed away
the PCS awards to two journalists before the gathering of journalists,
publishers, ministers, MLAs, IPR department officials and guests.
The
awards consist of a citation, trophy, and shawl along with cash prizes.
On
the occasion, the PCS felicitated four long serving journalists with
‘Patrakarita Sewa Samman 2025’ awards. They were Hem Kumari Khawas, Binod Tamang,
Narendra Kumar Rai, and Chitra Bahadur Chettri. The PCS also honoured senior
newspaper distributor Md. Ramzan Ali from Namchi with
‘Samachar Patra Vitarak Samman 2025’ award. The award was received by his brother
as Ali could not make it to the event.
In
his acceptance speech, Karma Samten Paljor thanked the PCS and Sikkim media
fraternity for recognizing his journalism with the ‘Kanchenjunga
Kalam Purashkar’ 2025. This award from my
home State means a lot to me, he said.
A
native of Rabong in South Sikkim, Paljor has dedicated over 24 years to
journalism. He began his career at The Times of India before moving into
television with CNBC TV18, and later became one of the founding faces of CNN
News18.
In
2018, Paljor co-founded Atvi Infotainment, which launched EastMojo, a
pioneering digital platform focusing exclusively on Northeast India. His
journalistic excellence has earned him numerous national accolades.
Similarly,
PemaWangchen Lama dedicated the PCS award to his parents, especially his mother,
and thanked the PCS, media colleagues and SIKKIM EXPRESS family for recognizing
his photojournalism work with the ‘Lagansheel Yuva Patrakar Samman’.
The
PCS also felicitated senior journalist-poet PrabinKhaling for being recently
honoured with the Dr.Shova Kanti Thegim (Lepcha) Memorial Award 2025 in
literature.
Addressing
the gathering, Rural Development minister Arun Upreti highlighted the important
measures initiated by the State government under Chief Minister Prem Singh
Tamang-Golay’s leadership for the welfare and empowerment of journalists of
Sikkim. He congratulated the awardees and the felicitated journalists.
Upreti
mentioned that the criticism and differences in opinion are natural in a
democracy and the State government takes it in a positive manner. At the same
time, it is also our shared responsibility to impartially write and show to the
people about the good work done by the government, he expressed.
The
minister urged that the media to have a positive perspective on the good work
done by the government in rural development, education, health, transparency
and other sectors. Let there be criticism but balanced…our shared objective is
to develop a ‘Sunaulo, Samriddha, Samartha Sikkim’, he said.
Earlier,
in his welcome address, PCS president Bhim Rawatre called
the contributions of the founding members of PCS, and spoke on the journey of
23 years that the PCS has taken, despite several hurdles along the way. He
asserted that PCS remains committed for the welfare and development of
journalists working in Sikkim.
Rawat
also thanked Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang-Golay and the State government
for fulfilling the demands of the PCS and Sikkim media family which includes
granting PCS Bhavan, health insurance, enhancement of advertisements, and
pension for retired journalists. Besides these, the Chief Minister has taken
several welfare initiatives for media workers and has been playing the role of
a guardian for the journalists, he said.
Also
present were Health minister GT Dhungel, Chief Minister’s advisor KN Lepcha,
Chief Minister’s press advisor Birendra Tamling, IPR advisor SB Subba, IPR
secretary Annapurna Alley, and other dignitaries.
The
programme opened with a heartfelt tribute to the late Padma Shri Sanu Lama,
honouring his enduring legacy in Nepali language, literature, and cultural
advocacy.
PCS
general secretary Dilli Ram Dulal placed the vote of thanks.
