The Ram Patro Memorial Award for Excellence in Journalism 2017 to Vivek Chhetri

Gangtok : The Ram Patro Memorial Award 2017 Committee is delighted to announce the name of Mr. Vivek Chhetri. He is the Special Correspondent of The Telegraph, as the receipt of Ram Patro Memorial Award for Excellence in Journalism 2017.

Since 2005 till 2016, the Ram Patro Memorial award was presented to the ‘Most Promising Journalist of the State’ for the then previous fiscal year in memory of Ram Patro, the founding editor of SIKKIM EXPRESS. Fourteen young, dynamic journalists working in Sikkim have been honoured with the Ram Patro Memorial ‘Most Promising Journalist’ award so far.

This year, the Ram Patro Memorial Award selection committee decided that the award ambit should be extended to the neighbouring places of Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong also where many deserving and dedicated journalists are working. Accordingly, the name of the award was also changed to ‘Ram Patro Memorial Award for Excellence in Journalism’.

Mr. Vivek Chhetri will be the first recipient of the Ram Patro Memorial Award for Excellence in Journalism.

Sikkim High Court Chief Justice Satish K. Agnihtori has graciously accepted the invitation of the Ram Patro Memorial Award Committee to attend the award function on May 24 as the chief guest.

Tadong MLA-and-Parliamentary Secretary Timothy William Basnett will be present as the guest of honour for the award function taking place at Hotel Gangtok Drift, Convoy Ground, Gangtok.

Mr. Vivek Chhetri, 39 years, is presently the Special Correspondent of The Telegraph. He joined The Telegraph in 2002 as a staff reporter and is based in Darjeeling town covering Darjeeling and Kurseong region.

“We are delighted in having Vivek Chhetri as the first recipient of the Ram Patro Memorial Award for Excellence in Journalism. He is a prominent journalist from the hills and his extensive, unbiased reporting from a politically disruptive region reflects high standard of journalism and dedication from him,” said C.D. Rai, chairman of the Ram Patro Memorial Award Committee.

Mr. Vivek Chhetri hails from Gairibas, Jhaldaka in present Kalimpong district. He is presently based in Darjeeling town with his wife Reena Chhetri who is a sculptor by profession and three-year-old son Ribhav.

- The Voice Of Sikkim