GANGTOK: Sikkim recently held an award function at Manan Kendra in Gangtok, organized by Sikkim Pragya Pratisthan.
The event was attended by Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay as the chief guest.
The prestigious Rashmi Prasad Alley Smriti Puraskar was presented to filmmaker Ugen Chopel and songwriter Madhusudan Lama for the years 2022 and 2023 respectively. The award has been presented since 2018 to recognize and honour individuals who have made significant contributions in the fields of art, music, literature, and language. The aim is to encourage younger generations to pursue these fields. The award is named after the late Rashmi Prasad Allay, who made notable contributions to the Nepali language.
During the award function, Chief Minister PS Golay extended his congratulations to the two winners and acknowledged their significant contributions to literature, music, and films. He also highlighted the role of Rashmi Prasad Alley, who made notable contributions in the field of Nepali language, culture, traditions, and journalism as a publisher.
In his speech, CM Golay mentioned that the award was stalled for a few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year, two major contributors to Sikkim have been recognized. He added that the government has always been supportive of artists, writers, and sportspersons in the state, and will continue to support individuals who make such contributions in the future.
The Chief Minister also congratulated Sikkim Pragya Pratishthan for organizing the event and recognizing such talented individuals. He emphasized that it is the government’s duty to provide support, and they will always be ready to help anyone who needs it. He further added that the government does not differentiate individuals based on their party affiliations.
Golay acknowledged the contribution of filmmaker Ugen Chopel, who is well-known for giving Danny Denzongpa his first break in films. Chopel has directed Nepali films such as Saino, Trishna, and Nepali Babu, as well as the Hindi television serial Ajnabee and Bengali film Bandhu, among others. He has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, including the Best Director award in 1998, a civilian award in 2009, and the Gorkha Gaurav award in 2010.
During his address, Ugen Chopel stated that a sense of responsibility drives one to raise the bar. He expressed his gratitude to the film fraternity, audiences, and supporters of the Nepali language for appreciating his work. He credited his absolute commitment and hard work without expecting gratification as the key to his success and emphasized that there is no substitute for hard work. Recognizing that filmmaking is a group endeavour, he dedicated the award to all his colleagues, friends, and family.
Madhusudan Lama, the songwriter who received the award for the year 2023, has released several music albums such as Darai Dara, Siri Siri, Anubhuti Haru, and Mir Mirey Sanjha, among others. He has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Rashtriya Chinari Award in 1990, the Best Lyricist Award in 2010, the Nepali Language Sangeet Shri Award in 2012, and the Giri Purashkar Award in 2020.
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During his address, Madhusudan Lama expressed his gratitude towards Sikkim Pragya Pratisthan and congratulated Ugen Chopel on receiving the award. Lama and Chopel had not met for almost 25 years when Chopel was working on promoting Sikkim as a tourist destination. Lama praised Chopel as the first professional he met in Sikkim, noting that the state lacked professionalism at the time. He expressed satisfaction with the kind of tourists who now visit Sikkim, and credited Chopel’s contributions towards this.
Lama also thanked everyone who contributed to his success, and highlighted that songs are a form of conversation that he portrays through melody.
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