Sikkim honours state employees, exceptional contributors at I-Day ceremony

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang awarded the State Meritorious Service Award to several dedicated government employees during the 78th Independence Day celebrations at Paljor Stadium. Honourees included:

Dinker Gurung, Chief Town Planner, Urban Development Department
Gayden Gary Chopel, Chief Town Planner, Urban Development Department
Khus Bahadur Subba, Chief Pay and Accounts Officer, Treasury, Pay and Accounts Office, Soreng District
Tshering Dorjee Bhutia, Joint Director, Directorate of Handlooms and Handicrafts, Commerce and Industries Department
Kiran Kumar Thatal, SDM, Chungthang, Land Revenue and Disaster Management Department
Damodar Ojha, Deputy Secretary, Department of Personnel
Buddhi Man Karki, Senior Accounts Officer, Finance Department
D R Acharya, Deputy Director, DAC, Pakyong District
Sushma Pradhan, Deputy Director, Tourism and Civil Aviation Department
Sonam Palzor Lepcha, Deputy Director, Sports and Youth Affairs Department
Gunjaman Rai, Sub-Inspector, Traffic, Police Headquarters
Chandra Kumar Chettri, Sub-Inspector, State Reserve Lines, Police Headquarters
Dharam Das Chettri, Sub-Inspector, CB-CID, Police Headquarters
B B Subba, Office Superintendent, SDM Office, Dentam
Kadem Bhutia, Office Superintendent, Election Department
Tamchey Lepcha, Senior Pressman, Printing and Stationery Department
Chetnath Bhattarai, Photographer, Information and Public Relations Department
Laxuman Sharma, LDC, Women and Child Development Department
Sunil Rajak, Dhobi, STNM Hospital, Sochakgang, Health and Family Welfare Department
Chetan Gajmer received the Teesta Rangit Aviral Award for Journalist 

Tamang also presented Certificates of Appreciation and cash rewards of Rs 50,000 each to Sonam Palden Barfungpa, Principal ATTC, Bardang, Sujata Rai, Head Mistress, Dhargaon Primary School, and Ramesh Kumar Gurung, Labour, Roads and Bridges Department, for their contributions during the October 4, 2023 flash flood.

The Chief Minister also honoured M Bharani Kumar (IAS), Secretary, Health and Welfare Department, with a Rs 50,000 cash award for his exemplary role as District Collector in Gyalshing during the 2024 General Elections. Major Pema Dorjee Bhutia received Rs 1 lakh for his gallantry during "Operation Snow Leopard" for his leadership in a crucial mission on the Himalayan front.