Karma Paljor to receive top honour as Press Club of Sikkim announces annual awards

The Press Club of Sikkim (PCS) has announced the names of individuals who will be honoured during its 23rd Foundation Day celebration on July 17, 2025. Every year, PCS celebrates this day by recognising people who have contributed to journalism and media in Sikkim and beyond. This year, several well-known names will be awarded for their dedication and service.

The highest award, Kanchendzonga Kalam Puraskar 2025, will be given to Karma Paljor, a well-known journalist originally from Rabong in Namchi district. Paljor has spent more than 24 years in the field of journalism. He started his career with The Times of India, then moved to television news with CNBC TV18, and later became a key face of CNN News18. At CNN News18, he worked on popular programmes such as Budget Yatra, Axe the Tax, India Positive and Reporters Project.

In 2018, Paljor co-founded EastMojo, a digital news platform that focuses on stories from Northeast India. His work has won several awards, including the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism in 2011 and 2014. He also received the Reporter of the Year award from Indiantelevision.com in 2010. His reports on the Uttarakhand floods and Cyclone Phailin were recognised at the ENBA Awards. In 2024, he was honoured with the RG Baruah Memorial Award by The Assam Tribune. Paljor is also part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

The Lagansheel Yuwa Patrakar Puraskar 2025 will go to Pema Wangchen Lama, a talented photojournalist from Sikkim. Lama has built a strong career by capturing important moments through his camera. He left a job in a software firm in Bangalore to return to Sikkim and focus on photography. His photos have appeared in many local and national platforms. His recent work on the Sikkim floods was widely praised and featured in Reuters, BBC, CNN and Japan Times.

In 2016–17, Lama received the Ram Patro Memorial Award for Best Working Journalist. He is also known for creating community art projects like the Moon Monument at Ridge Park and the Heart Monument at Wellness Park, which have become popular local landmarks.

The Press Club will also honour four senior journalists for their long years of dedicated service to the field. Among them is Binod Tamang, a video journalist with over 25 years of experience, who is currently associated with North East Live. Chitra Bahadur (Rajen) Chettri, based in Gangtok, has contributed significantly to both video and photo journalism, having worked with Nayuma Television and the Sikkim Reporter newspaper. Narendra Kumar Rai from Geyzing has been a regular contributor to newspapers and broadcast media for more than two decades. Hem Kumari Khawas, a senior editor of weekly newspapers from Gangtok, will also be recognised for her longstanding role in the media.

These journalists have been recognised for their dedication and long service to the profession in Sikkim.

In addition, PCS will present the Samachar Patra Vitarak Samman to MD Ramzan Ali, a newspaper distributor based in Namchi. Ali has been delivering newspapers since 1985 and is known for his dedication and hard work in South Sikkim.

The Press Club of Sikkim celebrates Foundation Day every year on July 17. It organises events to honour media professionals and highlight the importance of free and responsible journalism. The awards this year show the Club’s strong commitment to recognising hard work, community service, and young talent in media. The upcoming event will be a special occasion to thank those who continue to serve society by bringing news and information to the people of Sikkim and the Northeast.