TGT Correspondent, Siliguri
6 June 2022
Poet Pavitra Lama’s latest collection ‘Ma Deha Rato Ranginchhu’ has been chosen for Sikkim’s prestigious Dr. Shovakanti Thegim (Lepcha) Memorial Award. According to a press release issued by the Shovakanti Thegim Memorial Trust Chair Dupchhiring Lepcha, the 25th cycle of the award will be conferred upon the poet in a ceremony scheduled for 4 July 2022 to observe Dr. Thegim’s birth anniversary. The award carries a sum of 50,001 rupees besides a citation.
Reacting on the accouchements, poet Lama says, “No one writes anything for an award. Yet an award is an honor for one’s creation and work. In fact, this is an honor of literature at large. Even more important for me is the love of my readers, listeners and viewers. Dr. Shovakanti Thegim was herself a committed social worker, writer, and cultural activist. Her contribution to Nepali literature, especially to criticism is commendable. For its bearing with the name of such a prominent personality, this award holds a great significance. I thank all the trustees and the members of the jury for considering me worthy of the award.”
Poet Lama, who hails from Darjeeling is an official with the Government of West Bengal. “Ma Deha Rato Ranginchhu” is her second poetry collection, which follows her first collection “Sabhytaka Pendulumharu” published in 2016.
The award-winning collection was published by Sambodhan Books, Siliguri in 2019 and it anthologizes 32 powerful poems. The central voice of her poems is the empowerment of the people of the lower strata of our society. They present the subdued realities of the subaltern people in a realistic style and depict the dreams of their emancipation in an artistic way. Lama is especially recognized for the performatory aspect and musical presentation of her poems. ‘Mahuwa’, her novel is due for launch in the near future.
Suraj Gurungthe Director of Sambodhan Book says the announcement of Dr. Shovakanti Thegim Memorial Award in favor of the book has enhanced the significance of the book. He said, “We had published Lama’s ‘Ma Deha Rato Ranginchhu,’ being chiefly impressed with her distinct style and presentation. That fact that the book has been chosen for such a distinguished award from Sikkim has become a matter of pride for our publication. We thank the Memorial Trust and the members of the jury for considering the book worthy of the award. This is the first major award a delivery of our publication has won. After Lama’s book has won this distinguished award, we at the publication have realized the responsibility to continue publishing works of high quality in future as well. The announcement of the award has filled us with a different sort of energy.”
Mr. Gurung has congratulated awardee Lama on behalf of the publication.