A senior journalist, Bhim Rawat has been conferred the first YN Bhandari Award for Excellence in Journalism on the occasion of the National Press Day celebration at Chintan Bhawan on Friday.
He is the Sikkim bureau chief of a regional Nepali daily, Himalaya Darpan and former president of the Press Club of Sikkim.
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Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, who was present as the chief guest of the celebration handed over the award comprised of a cash award of Rs 2 lakhs, a citation, a memento and a shawl.
The institution of YN Bhandari Award for Excellence in Journalism was announced by the CM on the occasion of National Press Day 2017 to provide to a journalist every year on the occasion of National Press Day. Bhim Rawat becomes the first recipient of this award.
Likewise, five journalists of the State were presented with the Positive Journalism Grant of Rupees fifty thousand each. The cash grant of Rs 10,000 was also enhanced to Rs 50,000 from this year onwards by the CM in his announcement on the occasion of National Press Day 2017. Freelancer, Khagendra Mani Pradhan, Dichen Ongmu Bhutia of Sikkim Express, Jagan Dahal of Samay Dainik, Bikash Chettri of Summit Times and Sushma Mangar of a Nepali weekly, Himali Deepanjali.
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On the occasion, West District correspondent for Sikkim Reporter and Sikkim Express Kushhang Leewang were also awarded with ‘Gramin Patrakarita Puraskar 2018’. The Award, instituted by the Press Club of Sikkim, carries a cash award of Rupees ten thousand, along with a citation and a shawl.
Chamling also handed over the annual grant of Rupees Five Lakhs to Press Club of Sikkim on the occasion. The CM had announced an enhancement of the grant from Rupees Two Lakh Fifty Thousand to Rupees Five Lahks from this year.