Tanka Ram Sharma*, Clarence Simick*, Shyam Sunder Pradhan* , Lawang Yolmo, Rajiva Shanker Shresta (Standing from left) Squatting - Kesang Tsering*, Dhan Singh Moktanm ?, Ganga Bahadur Chettri* - 1962 * sign for those deceased 2023.
FROM GOLD TURNS PLATINUM
DARJEELING GOVERNMENT COLLEGE - A TRIBUTE
Our Alma mater Darjeeling Government College turns 75 this month on 5th August 2023. It would be worthwhile here to open this tribute of mine with a “Short History of its Establishment and Development – Darjeeling Government College owes its origin to insistent local demand for an institution imparting higher education to meet the needs of the educationally backward hill tribes. Although primarily meant for boys and girls belonging to the hill-tribes, students belonging to other communities will be admitted, if accommodation is available. The spacious buildings of the former St. Michael’s School on the Cart Road, Darjeeling were requisitioned by the Government of West Bengal for the purpose, and the Intermediate Classes in Arts and Science were opened in August, 1948. It was raised in 1950 to a first grade Arts and Science College with Honours Courses in some important subjects.” Sourced ‘University of Calcutta in The Calendar 1956 Part I, Page 1976 No. 59, Darjeeling Government College, Darjeeling, West Bengal. (Published in 1958) First Affiliation, 1948.’ Further to it, The Statesman Thursday, August 5, 1948 gave the news captioned “College for Hill Tribes at Darjeeling that “…For the present the college will be in the building of the now defunct St. Michael’s School … Teaching will be provided for te present up to the Intermediate Standard in English, Sanskrit, Pali, Nepali, Bengali, Logic, History, Civics, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Biology. Admission to the first year classes in Arts and Science will commence immediately,. There will be no second year class during the current session….” C. Rajagopalachari was the First Governor of West Bengal while Dr. S. K. Majumdar the Founder Principal.
Without wasting time, straight into the crux of the matter, would be of interest to recapitulate here my days rather years from 1962 – 1969 that was mentioned as the Golden Era though it was celebrating much later in my article for the souvenir on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Darjeeling Government College. Prof. Ram Lal Adhikari requested an article from me while visiting one Sunday afternoon at our Government Quarters 8-Unit Building, Development Area in 1997. Did not know the fate whether this Souvenir or even my reminiscences given was as such published at all. Perchance when in Siliguri for bringing out my book The Newars World~Wide – Connecting the Dots : Sikkim in 2016 I came across it when checking the works earlier done by the Press. Owner was kind enough to gift me the copy there knowing about my story Darjeeling Sarkari College - Ek Swarnim Yug carried in the souvenir Darjeeling Sarkari Mahavidyalaya – Sthapanako Ardhashatabdi. This too was after two decades since it was published long back in February 2001!
Without wasting time, straight into the crux of the matter, would be of interest to recapitulate here my days rather years from 1962 – 1969 that was mentioned as the Golden Era though it was celebrating much later in my article for the souvenir on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Darjeeling Government College. Prof. Ram Lal Adhikari requested an article from me while visiting one Sunday afternoon at our Government Quarters 8-Unit Building, Development Area in 1997. Did not know the fate whether this Souvenir or even my reminiscences given was as such published at all. Perchance when in Siliguri for bringing out my book The Newars World~Wide – Connecting the Dots : Sikkim in 2016 I came across it when checking the works earlier done by the Press. Owner was kind enough to gift me the copy there knowing about my story Darjeeling Sarkari College - Ek Swarnim Yug carried in the souvenir Darjeeling Sarkari Mahavidyalaya – Sthapanako Ardhashatabdi. This too was after two decades since it was published long back in February 2001!
Finding this not enough, another article ‘Teacher’s Day Special - Darjeeling Government College – Our Teachers We Owe to’ was published in the Sikkim Express in 2014. Not a rehash but what then appeared is reproduced hereunder that our readers might be interested to know:
“It was August 1962 that I was in the precincts of the Darjeeling Government College admitted for Pre-University Course with Science subjects. We had Prof. Tulsi Bahadur Chettri* and Prof. Babu Lall Pradhan* to us Nepali. Young hearts or faults of adolescence, it was but natural for us to be more for fun enjoying the independent college life offered. For our Nepali class students of both the arts and science streams would converge in Room No. 15 or Gallery and respond to the roll call by the teacher engrossed in recording the attendance some of our friends used to escape from the door in the rear. Consequently, only 17 of the 51 students could clear and I was amongst the fortunate five successful from Sikkim – others were Tashi Yangzum, Tsering Donka, Tanka Ram Sharma and Ongchen Lucksom. Tulsi Sir later became the Superintendent of the Bellevue Hostel at Chowrasta but by that time I had moved out to a paying guest accommodation near the Sharadeshwari Girls’ School on the Hermitage Road. I had met Babu Lall Sir once when visiting his son and my classmate Prem at his residence in Darjeeling. He was in touch with me writing letters for his dictionary and other books which we had in the newly opened Rachna Books thus of some service to our Guru. I remember meeting Tulsi Sir while in Gangtok promoting the Nepali news-daily Himali Abha, which we supported and subscribed in support of his efforts for the cause of Nepali language and literature and had it too in our news-stall in the initial days of Rachna Books.
“A year wasted, I was back to the Darjeeling Government College admitted for B. Sc. with Zoology Honours course that kept me away from English or Nepali as subjects to study. Otherwise, Mrs. Ghoshal taught us English and we must bring our textbook in her class. Dr. H. N. Ray was with us once as an external examiner and the Post Graduate Students Association had the rare opportunity to felicitate him and his student who was none other than my Guru Dr. B. Dasgupta. Dr. Dasgupta had a number of research works done to fetch him numerous doctorate degrees. He was the Head of Department holding the additional charge of the Principal in 1964. That year my friends made me their candidate to contest the election to represent them in the Students Union. Having been elected I was included in the Editorial Board as the Assistant Editor for the annual magazine Pines and Camellias while Karna Bahadur Chettri a Economics Honours Final Year student was the Editor. Head of Department Economics Prof. P. K. Ghosh was also the officer-in-charge of the NCC and was popular amongst the students. Soon after the election one fine morning Dr. Dasgupta summoned me to the Principal’s chamber and asked me whether I was there for participating in Union politics or was sent by my parents for studying with Honours subject. I replied that I was there to study. To this, he said that studying with Honours subject was not an easy task and I should better divert and devote my mind more towards it. Around that time I had known almost 90 per cent of the students which later at the end of my M.Sc. studies in 1969 was drastically reduced and was not even 10 per cent. Soon after my graduation, I was in Birgunj working for a while as a teacher in Maisthan Vidyapeeth, where I could write a book Saral Jiva Vigyan. I paid rich tribute to my Guru Dr. B. Dasgupta for his timely guidance to lead me to the right path. He visited Gangtok once probably in 1984-85 as the State Guest and I recollect of the opportunity we had to welcome and felicitate him in the dinner hosted in his honour.
“It was in 1968 when he became the Principal, Dr. S. K. Dasgupta took over as our Head of the Department. He too was a scholar dedicated to his research works. When he learnt that I was going to Birgunj for the winter vacation, he asked me to collect samples of insects at night with a bright lamp over the tray with formalin solution which I brought back as a service to my Guru. Dr. A. K. Banerjee also taught us Zoology while Dr. Debnath was the Head of the Department of Chemistry whose name I could recollect here. Dr. Mahitosh Banerjee taught us right since our Pre University days whom we students loved in respect. I was the only hill student in my M.Sc. class and he used to seek my permission to explain in his Bangla language. Accustomed by now, most of the classes followed thus listened there, later needed no such consent. Around the 1980s he had visited us in Gangtok once and we had gathered here to welcome him. He wanted and encouraged us (Tanka Ram Sharma, Surendra Kumar Pradhan and me) to keep our academic pursuits continued and obtain a PhD as we had enough knowledge while doing our Masters. It was only Surendra serving as a lecturer in the Sikkim Government College who could later pursue and achieve this goal to his advantage that helped him to become the Principal there. Among my classmates, educationist Dr. Kavindra Kumar Tamang and Dr. Man Bahadur Tamang acclaimed tea expert (who is remembered for his contributions to the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh that later Uttarakhand government could also benefit from his knowledge and experience) could get their doctorate well ahead early when such an honour was a rare achievement unlike mass turnouts in the present day. We could not devote our time to this endeavour as our government service kept us away thus depriving us of being a Doctor. In 1963 in spite of a Government of India scholarship, I could not pursue my ambition to serve society as a doctor since the Education Department failed to arrange to provide me with an M.B.B.S. seat. Life had something else written in my fate!
“We had been studying right from Pre University Course till our M. Sc. in the same College and we were in the last year towards the fag end of our studies. A thought had been harbouring in my mind for quite some time past. One day when we were having our tea, I shared it with my friends Prem Chand Pradhan and Desh Ratna Subba (both doing their Master’s in Botany) that time is nearing for us to leave the ramparts of the College and wish we could contribute something outstanding. We decided that it would be fair enough if the Post Graduate students also get their representation distinct in the College Union. It was difficult convincing the Principal Dr. B. Dasgupta which led us to some unrest but after a struggle hard and running here and there we could get such a provision finally incorporated in the constitution. The Principal being the ex-officio Chairman of the Students’ Council, the Vice Chairman would be from among the Post Graduate students and Surendra Kumar Pradhan was the first student to become so.
“Dr. H. C. Ganguly was the Head of the Department of Botany and also the co-author of our textbook College Botany. Dr. Gambhir Singh Yonzone, who also studied there joined as our lecturer in 1966, had taken us for a botanical excursion to Majhitar. I had organized a meeting of the Science fraternity from Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalayas under the auspices of the State Council of Science and Technology for Sikkim in 2001 when our school teacher P. B. Chakravarty* along with Dr. Yonzone and others were felicitated by the Chief Minister in the capital. It was magnanimous of Pawan Chamling, who elated expressed in his address that when he finds himself in the company of learned scientists on a rare occasion like this, he feels himself to be with God. Earlier, I had the rare opportunity to get my book Vikasko Goreto: Grameen Proudyogiki (2001) launched by him in a simple function at the Nepali Sahitya Sammelan, Darjeeling. Dr. Yonzone also graced the function along with other literary luminaries when our publication Sharad Chettri Smritigranth (2013) was launched by Banga Ratna Krishna Singh Moktan there.
“In my article in tribute Darjeeling Sarkari College _ Ek Swarnim Yug carried by the souvenir Darjeeling Sarkari Mahavidyalaya – Sthapanako Ardhashatabdi brought out on the occasion of 50 years of our alma mater, I had mentioned that though the College was celebrating its Golden Jubilee in 1998, its Golden Era in the real sense was during the 1960s when we were the student there and had excelled in various fields bringing glory. I also reiterated that in spite of the several difficult period and problems, the speciality of this College was that it always overcame them all and provided the best opportunities to its students to develop their multi-faceted talents as the institute itself continued its journey onwards ever forward. The credit goes to its Principal, teachers and many employees for their support. This Institute fulfilled many of the hopes and aspirations of the hill people and also of many from the plains and still continues to do so undoubtedly. In the field as varied as literature and music, art and culture, films and dramatics, education and social service, sports and entertainment, engineering and architecture, administration, army, police and politics students passed out from here have earned a name and fame for themselves, society, state and the nation not only in the country but also back in the neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bhutan. Students who excelled in their respective fields are Bang-Ratna Krishna Singh Moktan, Swar-Samragyi Aruna Lama*, maestro Gopal Yonjan*, Chief Minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari, Chief Secretary of Sikkim Purna Kumar Pradhan and in Andhra Pradesh Trilok Kumar Dewan, secretaries, actors, politicians, orators, lawyers, litterateurs, educationists, historians, principals, ministers, parliamentarians, legislators, etc. I regret my inability to elucidate further giving the names of all who excelled thus due to lack of time and space here.
“Since my early days in 1962, Dr. B. Dasgupta was the Professor and Head of Department for seven years until he assumed the chair of Principal in 1968 for over two decades (1968-1972 and 1977-1993) and thus served the longest period of 27 years yet unparalleled there. It was during his long tenure that the College saw many epoch-making landmark decisions that brought in various facilities and manifold improvements that added multiple dimensions to the institute. It would not be an exaggeration to state here that whatever the College is today it is due to his remarkable and outstanding contribution beyond any comparison that sought the status of a Deemed University in the past now emerging loud for a full-fledged University that we come across in the press.
“To conclude, I on my own behalf and on behalf of all the students (with their due permission) bow in respect to offer tribute to this holy temple of learning and to Dr. B. Dasgupta and all the teachers who served and are serving dedicated upholding the dignity of the Institute on the solemn occasion of the Teacher’s Day expressing our gratefulness as ever and wish Darjeeling Government College continued progress and all-round development further excelling in all the field to bring home more laurels and glory to our alma mater.”
Sixty-one years down the memory lane from the first day we entered the grand portals of our Alma mater around this time in August 1962, still fresh to remember it, for submitting the admission form and the session was to start after Independence Day. Shyam Sunder Pradhan who too got admitted together is no more and so is Dr. Man Bahadur Tamang, Dr. Kavindra Kumar Tamang, Dr. Prem Sherpa ‘Biroki’, Tanka Ram Sharma, Ganesh Kumar Subba, Badri Nath Sharma, Prof. Ram Lal Adhikari, Sharad Chettri, Nar Bahadur Bhandari, Subhash Ghising, Gopal Yonzone, Aruna Lama, Ram Moktan etc. who all earned name and fame during those days also outshined many in later years to reckon with and added glory to this Grand Monument of Learning like by many others in the alumni. Til Bikram Nembang, Nimchung Shenga, Nagendra Bahadur Thapa, Dhan Singh Moktan, Puran Thulung, Prem Pradhan, Desh Ratna Subba, Dr. Surendra Kumar Pradhan, now they themselves in the platinum years of their life are among others added to the list of students there unending, many before and thereafter known and unknown to mention here including those of our teachers of whom Dr. G. S. Yonzone is equally active as in those days for his social works. No information yet if such a Souvenir was planned for the Platinum Jubilee like the one earlier by the Editor Prof. Ram Lal Adhikari and Executive Editor/Publisher Vimal Chettri though both no more amidst us but an excellent contribution to the Alma Mater left behind.
Darjeeling Government College was established when the country had not even celebrated its First Anniversary of the Independence and has turned from Gold to Platinum; thus is in the Amrit Kal together with the Nation itself heading to its Glorious Centenary. Over the years besides many other changes with the passage of time, Darjeeling Government College saw its buildings coloured blue while the main Gate constructed for the third time equally magnificent matching the present need kept wide but for many like me not at par or to match with the one originally there we entered first this day in 1962. Such is the awe still held in high esteem for all we owe to our Alma mater!
Time and space do not permit me here to go further on thus giving me another opportunity to share more again in future if that comes by to ruminate.
Disclaimer: This is the Author’s personal account of memories to cherish and treasure, often on a detour here and there en route to share the joy of the journey called life. Some names (asterisk* for those no more), quotes, places and events mentioned are just to connect with and no malice whatsoever intended. He can be reached at [email protected]
“It was August 1962 that I was in the precincts of the Darjeeling Government College admitted for Pre-University Course with Science subjects. We had Prof. Tulsi Bahadur Chettri* and Prof. Babu Lall Pradhan* to us Nepali. Young hearts or faults of adolescence, it was but natural for us to be more for fun enjoying the independent college life offered. For our Nepali class students of both the arts and science streams would converge in Room No. 15 or Gallery and respond to the roll call by the teacher engrossed in recording the attendance some of our friends used to escape from the door in the rear. Consequently, only 17 of the 51 students could clear and I was amongst the fortunate five successful from Sikkim – others were Tashi Yangzum, Tsering Donka, Tanka Ram Sharma and Ongchen Lucksom. Tulsi Sir later became the Superintendent of the Bellevue Hostel at Chowrasta but by that time I had moved out to a paying guest accommodation near the Sharadeshwari Girls’ School on the Hermitage Road. I had met Babu Lall Sir once when visiting his son and my classmate Prem at his residence in Darjeeling. He was in touch with me writing letters for his dictionary and other books which we had in the newly opened Rachna Books thus of some service to our Guru. I remember meeting Tulsi Sir while in Gangtok promoting the Nepali news-daily Himali Abha, which we supported and subscribed in support of his efforts for the cause of Nepali language and literature and had it too in our news-stall in the initial days of Rachna Books.
“A year wasted, I was back to the Darjeeling Government College admitted for B. Sc. with Zoology Honours course that kept me away from English or Nepali as subjects to study. Otherwise, Mrs. Ghoshal taught us English and we must bring our textbook in her class. Dr. H. N. Ray was with us once as an external examiner and the Post Graduate Students Association had the rare opportunity to felicitate him and his student who was none other than my Guru Dr. B. Dasgupta. Dr. Dasgupta had a number of research works done to fetch him numerous doctorate degrees. He was the Head of Department holding the additional charge of the Principal in 1964. That year my friends made me their candidate to contest the election to represent them in the Students Union. Having been elected I was included in the Editorial Board as the Assistant Editor for the annual magazine Pines and Camellias while Karna Bahadur Chettri a Economics Honours Final Year student was the Editor. Head of Department Economics Prof. P. K. Ghosh was also the officer-in-charge of the NCC and was popular amongst the students. Soon after the election one fine morning Dr. Dasgupta summoned me to the Principal’s chamber and asked me whether I was there for participating in Union politics or was sent by my parents for studying with Honours subject. I replied that I was there to study. To this, he said that studying with Honours subject was not an easy task and I should better divert and devote my mind more towards it. Around that time I had known almost 90 per cent of the students which later at the end of my M.Sc. studies in 1969 was drastically reduced and was not even 10 per cent. Soon after my graduation, I was in Birgunj working for a while as a teacher in Maisthan Vidyapeeth, where I could write a book Saral Jiva Vigyan. I paid rich tribute to my Guru Dr. B. Dasgupta for his timely guidance to lead me to the right path. He visited Gangtok once probably in 1984-85 as the State Guest and I recollect of the opportunity we had to welcome and felicitate him in the dinner hosted in his honour.
“It was in 1968 when he became the Principal, Dr. S. K. Dasgupta took over as our Head of the Department. He too was a scholar dedicated to his research works. When he learnt that I was going to Birgunj for the winter vacation, he asked me to collect samples of insects at night with a bright lamp over the tray with formalin solution which I brought back as a service to my Guru. Dr. A. K. Banerjee also taught us Zoology while Dr. Debnath was the Head of the Department of Chemistry whose name I could recollect here. Dr. Mahitosh Banerjee taught us right since our Pre University days whom we students loved in respect. I was the only hill student in my M.Sc. class and he used to seek my permission to explain in his Bangla language. Accustomed by now, most of the classes followed thus listened there, later needed no such consent. Around the 1980s he had visited us in Gangtok once and we had gathered here to welcome him. He wanted and encouraged us (Tanka Ram Sharma, Surendra Kumar Pradhan and me) to keep our academic pursuits continued and obtain a PhD as we had enough knowledge while doing our Masters. It was only Surendra serving as a lecturer in the Sikkim Government College who could later pursue and achieve this goal to his advantage that helped him to become the Principal there. Among my classmates, educationist Dr. Kavindra Kumar Tamang and Dr. Man Bahadur Tamang acclaimed tea expert (who is remembered for his contributions to the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh that later Uttarakhand government could also benefit from his knowledge and experience) could get their doctorate well ahead early when such an honour was a rare achievement unlike mass turnouts in the present day. We could not devote our time to this endeavour as our government service kept us away thus depriving us of being a Doctor. In 1963 in spite of a Government of India scholarship, I could not pursue my ambition to serve society as a doctor since the Education Department failed to arrange to provide me with an M.B.B.S. seat. Life had something else written in my fate!
“We had been studying right from Pre University Course till our M. Sc. in the same College and we were in the last year towards the fag end of our studies. A thought had been harbouring in my mind for quite some time past. One day when we were having our tea, I shared it with my friends Prem Chand Pradhan and Desh Ratna Subba (both doing their Master’s in Botany) that time is nearing for us to leave the ramparts of the College and wish we could contribute something outstanding. We decided that it would be fair enough if the Post Graduate students also get their representation distinct in the College Union. It was difficult convincing the Principal Dr. B. Dasgupta which led us to some unrest but after a struggle hard and running here and there we could get such a provision finally incorporated in the constitution. The Principal being the ex-officio Chairman of the Students’ Council, the Vice Chairman would be from among the Post Graduate students and Surendra Kumar Pradhan was the first student to become so.
“Dr. H. C. Ganguly was the Head of the Department of Botany and also the co-author of our textbook College Botany. Dr. Gambhir Singh Yonzone, who also studied there joined as our lecturer in 1966, had taken us for a botanical excursion to Majhitar. I had organized a meeting of the Science fraternity from Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalayas under the auspices of the State Council of Science and Technology for Sikkim in 2001 when our school teacher P. B. Chakravarty* along with Dr. Yonzone and others were felicitated by the Chief Minister in the capital. It was magnanimous of Pawan Chamling, who elated expressed in his address that when he finds himself in the company of learned scientists on a rare occasion like this, he feels himself to be with God. Earlier, I had the rare opportunity to get my book Vikasko Goreto: Grameen Proudyogiki (2001) launched by him in a simple function at the Nepali Sahitya Sammelan, Darjeeling. Dr. Yonzone also graced the function along with other literary luminaries when our publication Sharad Chettri Smritigranth (2013) was launched by Banga Ratna Krishna Singh Moktan there.
“In my article in tribute Darjeeling Sarkari College _ Ek Swarnim Yug carried by the souvenir Darjeeling Sarkari Mahavidyalaya – Sthapanako Ardhashatabdi brought out on the occasion of 50 years of our alma mater, I had mentioned that though the College was celebrating its Golden Jubilee in 1998, its Golden Era in the real sense was during the 1960s when we were the student there and had excelled in various fields bringing glory. I also reiterated that in spite of the several difficult period and problems, the speciality of this College was that it always overcame them all and provided the best opportunities to its students to develop their multi-faceted talents as the institute itself continued its journey onwards ever forward. The credit goes to its Principal, teachers and many employees for their support. This Institute fulfilled many of the hopes and aspirations of the hill people and also of many from the plains and still continues to do so undoubtedly. In the field as varied as literature and music, art and culture, films and dramatics, education and social service, sports and entertainment, engineering and architecture, administration, army, police and politics students passed out from here have earned a name and fame for themselves, society, state and the nation not only in the country but also back in the neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bhutan. Students who excelled in their respective fields are Bang-Ratna Krishna Singh Moktan, Swar-Samragyi Aruna Lama*, maestro Gopal Yonjan*, Chief Minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari, Chief Secretary of Sikkim Purna Kumar Pradhan and in Andhra Pradesh Trilok Kumar Dewan, secretaries, actors, politicians, orators, lawyers, litterateurs, educationists, historians, principals, ministers, parliamentarians, legislators, etc. I regret my inability to elucidate further giving the names of all who excelled thus due to lack of time and space here.
“Since my early days in 1962, Dr. B. Dasgupta was the Professor and Head of Department for seven years until he assumed the chair of Principal in 1968 for over two decades (1968-1972 and 1977-1993) and thus served the longest period of 27 years yet unparalleled there. It was during his long tenure that the College saw many epoch-making landmark decisions that brought in various facilities and manifold improvements that added multiple dimensions to the institute. It would not be an exaggeration to state here that whatever the College is today it is due to his remarkable and outstanding contribution beyond any comparison that sought the status of a Deemed University in the past now emerging loud for a full-fledged University that we come across in the press.
“To conclude, I on my own behalf and on behalf of all the students (with their due permission) bow in respect to offer tribute to this holy temple of learning and to Dr. B. Dasgupta and all the teachers who served and are serving dedicated upholding the dignity of the Institute on the solemn occasion of the Teacher’s Day expressing our gratefulness as ever and wish Darjeeling Government College continued progress and all-round development further excelling in all the field to bring home more laurels and glory to our alma mater.”
Sixty-one years down the memory lane from the first day we entered the grand portals of our Alma mater around this time in August 1962, still fresh to remember it, for submitting the admission form and the session was to start after Independence Day. Shyam Sunder Pradhan who too got admitted together is no more and so is Dr. Man Bahadur Tamang, Dr. Kavindra Kumar Tamang, Dr. Prem Sherpa ‘Biroki’, Tanka Ram Sharma, Ganesh Kumar Subba, Badri Nath Sharma, Prof. Ram Lal Adhikari, Sharad Chettri, Nar Bahadur Bhandari, Subhash Ghising, Gopal Yonzone, Aruna Lama, Ram Moktan etc. who all earned name and fame during those days also outshined many in later years to reckon with and added glory to this Grand Monument of Learning like by many others in the alumni. Til Bikram Nembang, Nimchung Shenga, Nagendra Bahadur Thapa, Dhan Singh Moktan, Puran Thulung, Prem Pradhan, Desh Ratna Subba, Dr. Surendra Kumar Pradhan, now they themselves in the platinum years of their life are among others added to the list of students there unending, many before and thereafter known and unknown to mention here including those of our teachers of whom Dr. G. S. Yonzone is equally active as in those days for his social works. No information yet if such a Souvenir was planned for the Platinum Jubilee like the one earlier by the Editor Prof. Ram Lal Adhikari and Executive Editor/Publisher Vimal Chettri though both no more amidst us but an excellent contribution to the Alma Mater left behind.
Darjeeling Government College was established when the country had not even celebrated its First Anniversary of the Independence and has turned from Gold to Platinum; thus is in the Amrit Kal together with the Nation itself heading to its Glorious Centenary. Over the years besides many other changes with the passage of time, Darjeeling Government College saw its buildings coloured blue while the main Gate constructed for the third time equally magnificent matching the present need kept wide but for many like me not at par or to match with the one originally there we entered first this day in 1962. Such is the awe still held in high esteem for all we owe to our Alma mater!
Time and space do not permit me here to go further on thus giving me another opportunity to share more again in future if that comes by to ruminate.
Disclaimer: This is the Author’s personal account of memories to cherish and treasure, often on a detour here and there en route to share the joy of the journey called life. Some names (asterisk* for those no more), quotes, places and events mentioned are just to connect with and no malice whatsoever intended. He can be reached at [email protected]
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