Sikkim celebrates 5th Gwala Diwas, honours dairy farmers and champions of rural progress

The Sikkim Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Limited, in association with the Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, marked the 5th edition of Gwala Diwas with much pride and gratitude at Manan Kendra in Gangtok. 

The event was organised to honour the hardworking dairy farmers and cooperative members who have helped shape and strengthen the dairy sector in Sikkim.

The ceremony was graced by Minister for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, Fisheries, and Horticulture, Puran Kumar Gurung, as the Chief Guest. His presence was accompanied by senior leaders, including Deputy Speaker Raj Kumari Thapa, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, Advisors, the Deputy Mayor, bureaucrats, and hundreds of dairy farmers from across Sikkim.

The event began with a welcome address by Dr. Sharman Rai, Principal Director-cum-Secretary of the department, who praised the hard work of farmers and underlined the importance of dairy in public health and rural progress. He also encouraged youth involvement and the adoption of modern practices in dairy farming.

This was followed by a detailed presentation from Dr. T.B. Ghatani, Managing Director of the Sikkim Milk Union. He walked the audience through the Union’s journey, structure, and future goals, with a focus on increasing milk production, better earnings for farmers, and improvements in infrastructure.

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Other engaging segments included the launch of a new mascot punchline, the screening of a documentary on the Union’s journey, the release of a special publication titled “Glory Story of Sikkim Milk Union”, and a short educational film called “Gwala Gyan”, which offered practical tips on feed and nutrition.

The event's most awaited moment was the award distribution, which saw district-wise and state-level honours being handed out to top-performing Milk Producer Co-operative Societies (MPCS).

Each district had three top societies, awarded with cash prizes of Rs 20,000, Rs 15,000, and Rs 10,000, respectively. The Namchi District bagged the title of Best Performing District in milk production and received a special memento from the Additional General Manager of the Animal Husbandry Department.

At the state level, the Melli MPCS was honoured with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, Ben MPCS with Rs 7 lakh, and Begani MPCS with Re 5 lakh.

Several individuals were recognised for their unique contributions to the dairy industry and beyond. Among them:

Chunkey Sherpa, a student from Upper Rumbok, was honoured for scoring 94.08% in Class XII Science.

Sancha Bahadur Tamang, a differently-abled milk pourer, received Rs 20,000 and a certificate of appreciation.

Designers Dhananjay Sahani and Ayoosh Rai, who created the new mascot were awarded Rs 10,000 each.

Dr. Moumita Dey, Dr. Ghanashyam Sharma, Ms. Ranjana Sharma, Dr. Prerna Chamling, Sanjeev Pakhter and Dr. Kamlesh Prasad were all recognised for their contributions in various areas including marketing, innovation, and technical support.

The Sikkim Milk Union also paid tribute to the key figures who laid its foundation. Former Managing Directors like Dr. S.K. Pradhan, Dr. P.P. Sharma and Dr. R.K. Makarandi were remembered for their dedicated service and vision that helped build the institution over the decades.

The Gwala Ratna Award 2024–25, the highest honour of the event, was presented to Sukmaya Tamang from Melli. She received a memento and Rs 3 lakh for her consistent and outstanding contribution to dairy farming in the region.

In his keynote speech, Minister Puran Kumar Gurung thanked Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang for his consistent support of the dairy sector. He spoke about the importance of promoting indigenous cattle breeds under the Gokul Mission, improving milk productivity and creating dairy development clusters.

The Minister also spoke about growing social concerns like online gaming and drug abuse. He proposed a state-wide campaign to raise awareness, especially among the youth, and called for a stronger delivery system in government services.