The awardees were presented a memento, citation and shawl recording the Gorkha Parisangh's recognition of their contributions to the fields of education and national security (for Prof. Lama) and creative arts and culture (for Mr. Chople).
In his address, Prof. Lama shared that the Gorkha community has already earned laurels and recognition as one of the most courageous people in the world and that now it was time to also establish their power and credentials in the academic field as well. Winning recognition for Nepali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution,he shared, was the first step towards this endeavor and urged members of the community to invest the required priority on education which would help the community establish an stronger identity.
He also commented that one of the reasons behind the general backwardness of the community was that it dose not have any written history which leaves the field open for others to generate wrong notions about Gorkhas.
He commented that organizations like BGP could play an important role towards documenting and authenticating books on the Gorkhas and presenting it to the world.
Similarly, Mr Chopel thanked the organizers for the award and expressed happiness and gratitude on being felicitated ofn the same plateform as a respected intellectual like Prof. Lama.
The programme was chaired by BGP's Sikkim State Samiti president, Dr. Kamal Gurung and hada former Nagaland DGP CP Giri as the guest of honour.
In his address, Mr. Shrestha called on the Gorkha Community to abandon its obsession with holding on to even obsolete which were holding the community back.
It was Important, he said, to move along with the changing times.He also echoed the Lama's sentiments ofn the need for the community to priorities education.
