PAKYONG: Chief Minister Mr Prem Singh Tamang, attended UDAAN –The Flight of Creativity, an inter-school scholastic festival jointly organised by the Rotary Club of Sikkim and Inner Wheel Club of Sikkim, at ATTC Bardang on September 27.
The event was attended by Minister for Education, Sports & Youth Affairs, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Departments, Mr Raju Basnett; MLA-cum-Advisor for Information Technology (IT), Land Revenue & Disaster Management and Information & Public Relations Departments, Mr LB Das.
Also present were Director General of Police, Mr Akshay Sachdeva; Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism and Civil Aviation Department, Mr CS Rao; Principal Secretary, Education Department, Dr Sandeep Tambe IFS; Secretary, School Education, Mr Tashi Chophel; District Collector, Pakyong, Ms Pari Bishnoi; District Collector, Namchi, Ms Anupa Tamling; SP Pakyong, Mr Tshering Sherpa; SDM Rangpo, Ms Sujata Subba; Heads of Institutions; members of the Rotary Club of Sikkim and Inner Wheel Club of Sikkim along with officials from various departments, teachers and students.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Mr Prem Singh Tamang Golay extended his greetings on the occasion of World Tourism Day and appreciated the Rotary Club of Sikkim and Inner Wheel Club of Sikkim for their efforts to encourage students and provide them with a platform to showcase their talents, creativity and dedication. He then appreciated the participation of around 1,300 students from 131 schools across the State, describing UDAAN as a celebration of the talent, creativity and potential of Sikkim’s young minds.
Encouraging the students, the Chief Minister urged them to dream big, work hard and view failures as stepping stones towards success. He also advised to recognise the sacrifices and contributions of parents and teachers, while making constructive use of available resources and opportunities, accessing correct information and staying away from harmful habits, further assuring to provide assistance for the welfare, education and overall development of students.
Earlier, the Chief Minister was also presented with a Guard of Honour by NCC cadets of ATTC, Bardang, followed by a visit to various classrooms to witness the ongoing competitions and project display on “Water Conservation: A Futuristic Approach.”
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman UDAAN, Dr Yogesh Verma highlighted the journey of UDAAN-The Flight of Creativity, which was initiated in 2011. He stated that the festival has evolved into a significant platform for nurturing students’ talents beyond classrooms and textbooks. He added that UDAAN is a day long inter school scholastic festival that brings together students from government and private schools across the state from both rural and urban areas to participate in a range of academic and creative activities.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also launched MAYA (Mission of Adolescent & Youth Advancement), an initiative of the District Administration Centre, Namchi, aimed at the prevention, protection, reintegration and empowerment of vulnerable children and adolescents.
In her address, DC Namchi, Ms Anupa Tamling, highlighted the importance of early identification of children at risk of dropping out of school. She stressed the need for coordinated efforts involving government departments, educational institutions and other stakeholders to address the issue of school dropouts.
She stated that through MAYA, the district administration seeks to strengthen support systems, facilitate protection and reintegration, and create opportunities for continued education, development and empowerment of children and adolescents.
Additionally, the Chief Minister also launched the EKAYA Wellness Festival, an initiative of the District Administrative Centre, Pakyong.
Apprising the gathering about the initiative, DC Pakyong, Ms Pari Bishnoi stated that the EKAYA Wellness Festival, initiated by the Pakyong District Administration in collaboration with Ebb and Flow and other stakeholders under the Sikkim INSPIRES programme, seeks to connect tourism with local communities, livelihoods, culture, cuisine, wellness and nature.
The initiative moves beyond conventional sightseeing by offering visitors immersive, community-led experiences including yoga and wellness sessions, nature walks, local cuisine, traditional crafts, pottery, cultural activities and homestays. The initiative aims to enable visitors to engage meaningfully with Sikkim’s people, traditions and natural surroundings.
She further stated that the festival would bring together entrepreneurs, wellness practitioners, founders, content creators and other professionals to experience and promote the State’s diverse tourism offerings while fostering a self-sustaining, experience-based tourism ecosystem.
Additionally, the Chief Minister also unveiled the cover page of “Reflection 2026,” the souvenir of UDAAN.
The day-long festival was divided into three categories Junior (Classes II–V), Middle (Classes VI–VIII) and Senior (Classes IX–XII). The students competed in a range of events, including declamation, Let’s Converse, quiz, Word Power, Spell Bee, Speed Math, creative writing, Maths Magic and talks on financial literacy.
The event concluded with a prize distribution ceremony, honouring participating students as well as the winning teams from schools across the three categories.
- IPR Report
