Press Release
Press Release from Education Department, Namchi District
Information & Public Relations Department
Namchi, 11 October: A two-day literary event titled ‘Words Across Mountains: Literature, Community and Futures’ conducted by DG Reading Room Resource and Education Foundation, Dumigaon, Namchi, under the mentorship of writer Prava Rai in collaboration with the Education Department, Namchi district began today.
On its first day, the event saw the presence of many eminent writers from Manipur, Assam, Siliguri, Darjeeling and Sikkim.
Prava Rai, the founding director of DG Reading Room, expressed her gratitude to Secretary School Education Mr Tashi Chophel, Mr Sonam Chopel Sherpa- Chairperson Students’ Welfare Board, all the writers and the participants. She provided a brief background of the Reading Room and stated that post retirement, when she had an opportunity to meet HH the 14th Dalai Lama, he had said, “Don’t build statues. Build cultural centres, build libraries,” and that is what inspired her to create and curate DG Reading Room in Dumigaon. She also shared details about the Shared Futures Conclave that is to take place on 4th and 5th December 2025, as well as a book that is to be released soon, co-curated by Dr Mona Chettri titled “Beneath Magnolia Skies- Sikkim and Darjeeling Hills.”
In a panel discussion moderated by Anurag Basnett, writers Dhurba Hazarika, Robin Ngangom, Guru Ladaki, and Chetan Raj Shrestha provided their personal perspectives on why does one need to read and how reading and writing translate to informational texts could also be interpreted as content in today’s modern world.
Writer Ravikant Kshetrimayum, who has learnt and trained in Japan in Haiku poetry, explained to the gathering the essence of Haiku, quoting and explaining the works of the Japanese Haiku master Matsuo Bashō. He read out some of his own poems as well. Similarly, writers from Sikkim Arpana Gurung, Satyadeep Chettri, Kalden Gyatso and Shiori as well as Bibhusha Rai, from Darjeeling, shared their poems and excerpts from their written works.
A Children’s book titled “Ganju Lama, VC Sikkim’s Hero in War and Peace,” written by Anuradha Sharma, illustrated by Pankaj Thapa and published by Foothills Publishing under the mentorship of Lekha Rai, was also launched at the event. Present for the launch was also Mr Pema Leda Shangderpa, son of the late Ganju Lama, who provided some personal anecdotes of his father.
The first day ended with a session of open mic, where students were encouraged to share their poems and stories on stage. The writers collectively concluded that writing is important as it gives one the ability to communicate and express and that as a successful writer, one needs to write truthfully, ask questions and be relatable, as this can become a powerful tool for literary art that can cross borders.
Tomorrow’s session will include a prose and poetry workshop, an interactive session for students of Namchi and its surrounding areas.
On its first day, the event saw the presence of many eminent writers from Manipur, Assam, Siliguri, Darjeeling and Sikkim.
Prava Rai, the founding director of DG Reading Room, expressed her gratitude to Secretary School Education Mr Tashi Chophel, Mr Sonam Chopel Sherpa- Chairperson Students’ Welfare Board, all the writers and the participants. She provided a brief background of the Reading Room and stated that post retirement, when she had an opportunity to meet HH the 14th Dalai Lama, he had said, “Don’t build statues. Build cultural centres, build libraries,” and that is what inspired her to create and curate DG Reading Room in Dumigaon. She also shared details about the Shared Futures Conclave that is to take place on 4th and 5th December 2025, as well as a book that is to be released soon, co-curated by Dr Mona Chettri titled “Beneath Magnolia Skies- Sikkim and Darjeeling Hills.”
In a panel discussion moderated by Anurag Basnett, writers Dhurba Hazarika, Robin Ngangom, Guru Ladaki, and Chetan Raj Shrestha provided their personal perspectives on why does one need to read and how reading and writing translate to informational texts could also be interpreted as content in today’s modern world.
Writer Ravikant Kshetrimayum, who has learnt and trained in Japan in Haiku poetry, explained to the gathering the essence of Haiku, quoting and explaining the works of the Japanese Haiku master Matsuo Bashō. He read out some of his own poems as well. Similarly, writers from Sikkim Arpana Gurung, Satyadeep Chettri, Kalden Gyatso and Shiori as well as Bibhusha Rai, from Darjeeling, shared their poems and excerpts from their written works.
A Children’s book titled “Ganju Lama, VC Sikkim’s Hero in War and Peace,” written by Anuradha Sharma, illustrated by Pankaj Thapa and published by Foothills Publishing under the mentorship of Lekha Rai, was also launched at the event. Present for the launch was also Mr Pema Leda Shangderpa, son of the late Ganju Lama, who provided some personal anecdotes of his father.
The first day ended with a session of open mic, where students were encouraged to share their poems and stories on stage. The writers collectively concluded that writing is important as it gives one the ability to communicate and express and that as a successful writer, one needs to write truthfully, ask questions and be relatable, as this can become a powerful tool for literary art that can cross borders.
Tomorrow’s session will include a prose and poetry workshop, an interactive session for students of Namchi and its surrounding areas.