Sikkim: Pakyong gears up for 23rd Chief Minister Gold Cup Archery Tournament

The Pakyong District Archery Association held a key coordination meeting today at the RDD Community Complex in Rurban Pakyong to prepare for the much-anticipated 23rd Chief Minister Gold Cup Traditional Archery Tournament. The event, set to be hosted in Karthok for the first time, is a prestigious annual competition celebrating the traditional sport of archery.

The meeting, presided over by Smt. Pamin Lepcha, Hon’ble MLA of the 21-Gnathang Machong Constituency, saw the attendance of notable figures including Smt. Laden Lhamu Bhutia, Hon’ble Zilla Adhakshya of Pakyong District, DC Pakyong Mr. Rohan Agawane, heads of various departments, and executive members of the Pakyong District Archery Association. Representatives from the Karthok Rikzing Tshokpa Samaj were also present to lend their support.

Scheduled for February 2024, the month-long tournament will mark the first time the event is being held in Pakyong, a newly established district. The meeting's primary focus was to ensure effective coordination among the district's line departments to guarantee the smooth execution of this significant occasion.

Tashi Makpen, General Secretary of the Pakyong District Archery Association, provided an in-depth overview of the tournament's requirements, urging the departments to collaborate for its successful organization. The MLA of Gnathang Machong highlighted the event’s importance, emphasizing the cultural and historical value of archery. She called for the revival of the sport, stressing its significance across the state’s communities, and urged the incorporation of meaningful elements to enhance the tournament's appeal.