Gangtok: Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang-Golay on Tuesday congratulated Sikkim Express and the Patro family for their “praiseworthy service” to the State, describing the newspaper as a leading institution that has chronicled Sikkim’s democratic journey over five decades.
Addressing the Golden Jubilee celebration, the Chief Minister said, “There are many challenges in choosing journalism as a profession; people often opt for safety and security. Sikkim Express has grown into an institution where many budding and now veteran journalists have found a platform.”
Highlighting the contribution of its founder, Ram Patro, he said, “His decision to devote his career to Sikkim since 1976 helped establish the newspaper as a vital link between the people and a young democracy.”
He added that the publication built trust during a formative period in the State’s history, calling it “a service not only to Sikkim but to the nation as a whole.”
He also acknowledged the role of Mala Rana Patro and Amit Patro in transforming the newspaper into the State’s first daily, noting that sustaining a publication over such a long period is especially difficult in today’s digital media landscape.
“The archives of Sikkim Express stand as a valuable record of Sikkim’s democratic history, reflecting the State’s progress,” he said, adding that the newspaper has helped unite communities despite declining readership in recent times.
Founded in 1976, a year after Sikkim became India’s 22nd state, Sikkim Express emerged during political uncertainty and restricted press freedom, serving as a bridge between the people and the government.
After Ram Patro’s demise in 1994, Mala Rana Patro steered the organisation through a difficult phase, while Amit Patro later led its transition into a daily in the early 2000s.
In his address, editor Amit Patro said, “As Sikkim completes fifty years of statehood, we celebrate fifty years of journalism, resilience, and public service.” Recalling its origins, he said the newspaper was founded in a climate of fear and uncertainty, where his father chose courage over comfort to connect people’s aspirations with governance.
Reflecting on his role, he said, “I stepped into this responsibility not with confidence, but with conviction,” acknowledging the contributions of his mother and early supporters.
The Golden Jubilee celebration was attended by Prince Palden Gyurmed Namgyal, Speaker M.N. Sherpa, Deputy Speaker Raj Kumari Thapa, Cabinet Ministers, and other dignitaries.
Special guests included Padma Bhushan awardee Shekhar Gupta, founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Print, Vivek Gupta, president of the Indian Newspaper Society, and Gurinder Singh, president of the All India Small and Medium Newspaper Federation.
The event also featured the felicitation of eminent personalities, including environmentalist Usha Lachungpa, filmmaker Ugyen Chopel, businessman Kamlesh Agarwal, publisher Raman Shrestha, and musician Girish Pradhan. In journalism, associate editor Bijoy Gurung and Dr Satyadeep S. Chettri were honoured, along with 23 former employees of the newspaper.
The celebration concluded with the release of the Golden Jubilee souvenir magazine and a compilation of its top 50 front pages.
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