By Shital Pradhan

A teacher by profession and a philatelist by hobby, Shital Pradhan is most arguably the top blogger from the Himalayan state of Sikkim. Famous among the Sikkimese and Sikkim enthusiasts world over for his love for Sikkim’s History, Shital, here, talks about his blogging journey over the years.

I had never thought that someday my passion about understanding Sikkim would have followers and well-wishers across the globe. Today I have friends who appreciate my small effort and thank me for helping them bring closer to a land called Sikkim and it’s really a pleasure to hear such words.

Just before writing this article I received an email from Volker, France. The letter writer wondered about my fascination for bringing out things about Sikkim no one ever gave a thought. I was looking for an information from him regarding Robert Godet, a French writer, photographer, an adventure lover. Godet was a family friend of the Royal family of Sikkim. He made several flights to Sikkim in his own small two seater airplane in the 50s, probably making him the first person to fly across the Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim.

There are several anecdotes and information related to Sikkim that had been less known to our people or might be forgotten in course of time. My passion lies in collecting that precious information and put them in my blog Proud to be a Sikkimese. I am sure when people go through my blog they will certainly find many articles and rare old photographs of Sikkim that may amazed them.

I had once sent a request to a website administrator in United States to review my blog and this is what she (Kim) wrote about my blog. “…….One, often forgotten, advantage of blogging is that one gets to see some exotic places which we never knew ever existed. Sikkim is one such place in India. It’s the place which inspires Shital Pradhan to write his blog and he writes average more than one post a day. Now that’s what is called truly inspirational.”

I just googled “Sikkim” and the images which showed up really made me sit-up in awe. No wonder it is the state that receives high percentage of tourism visiting India. And my blog is Encyclopedia (or Wikipedia) of Sikkim. This a blog on my homeland, a place which we all love, but often forget to give her due. I am thankful for her encouraging words. I am sure this will boost me on my way to create Encyclopedia of Sikkim.

These days I am working on few interesting topics which shall make an interesting read once completed. Just to give a hint….Has anyone heard about HS Sikkim that ran from Bombay to UK in 1918. Hospital Ship Sikkim was used for medical assessment to the soldiers injured during the First World War. HS Sikkim was the world first River Hospital Ship. And how about a horse named Sikkim that still holds a record in US Derby that she won in 60s. Interestingly the popularity of the Horse made it appear in an advertisement for Vim-Con horse vitamins. There are many such stories in the fold and each story gives me a pleasure to go deeper to understand it.

My blog has undergone many short expeditions trying to look for interesting and fascinating information around Sikkim. We found a tree with the girth of 52 feet; we met a man, who had seen a Yeti, we have visited different historic places like 200 years old house that should have found its name in Sikkim Heritage and many others.

Since last four years Proud to be a Sikkimese has been part of me and my passion for Sikkim has given me an identity as a writer and a story teller. Above all I am happy people find it inspiring when they go through my passion about my Sikkim. I am happy to be a student of Sikkim and want to continue to unravel its past.

Related stories:

Sikkim Philatelist

To read more posts by Shital Pradhan on iSikkim click on the link below:

Bindeshwari Prasad felicitated at Basibiyalo
SPARK celebrates Prakash Sundas’s triumph
Geetanjali Thapa : with love from Sikkim

 

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