Welcome to ANDS

The ANDS & the state SIKKIM - A GOSSIP 

Arithang Neelgagan Development Society (ANDS) governs a democratically elected Executive Board as per the constitution consisting nine eminent persons. ANDS follows a well-developed system delegation of authority with the Executive Director/Chief Functionary managing the affairs of the organization. The Executive Director supported by competent core staff and other field project staff. Responsibility shared in a decentralized manner. 

ANDS significantly increased its outreach during more than a decade of development journey and lakhs of families participated in livelihood programs. Community Taking Charge as an approach received a lot of attention. ANDS’s grass root engagement methodology was re-articulated and elaborated with this perspective. Each team worked out strategies to speed up the process of handing over charge to the community and reduce their dependence on ANDS. A large number of community service providers who in the medium term would be fully paid for by the community were groomed. Attention was focused on creating mechanisms for program sustainability such as strengthening producers’ organizations and SHG based collectives like cluster associations and federations. Many of the community service providers would be housed in these collectives. Large scale training and exposure programs were conducted for both the community members as well as the Community Service Providers.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

SIKKIM

Glacier Valley near Thangshing

Sikkim Which means new house is a landlocked Indian state located in the Himalayan mountains. The state border Nepal to the west, China’s Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and east, and Bhutan to the east. According to legend, the Buddhist saint Guru Rinpoche visited Tibet Sikkim in the 8^th cencury and introduced Buddhism and foretold the era of the monarchy. Sikkim’s Namgyal dynasty was established in 1642. Over the next 150 years, the kingdom witnessed frequent raids

Three Chortens Rabendtse 

and territorial losses to Nepalese referendum abolished the Sikkimese monarchy, and the territory was merged with India. It is only the state of India with an ethnic Nepali majority. English is taught in school and used in government documents. The predominant religions are Hinduism & Vajrayana Buddhism. Sikkim’s economy is largely dependent on agriculture and tourism. It has four main districts known as North, East, West & South. ANDS HQ is situated in West Division of Sikkim.

Mount Pandim

WEST SIKKIM

The district capital is Geyzing, also known as Gyalshing. West Sikkim is a favourite with trekkers due to the high elevations. It was the ancient capital of state Yuksom. It served as the capital beginning in 1642 for almost 50 years until it was shifted to Rabtense. The district was under the occupation of the Napalese for many decades in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. After the Gorkha war, the district was returned to Sikkim. It has a wide variety of fauna and flora to offer. Since most of the districts is hilly it enjoys a temperate climate. Above 3800 mtr (1200 ft) the slopes are full of rhododendron forests. In 977 West Sikkim became home to Khangchendzonga National Park. It is divided in to two subdivisions namely Gyalshing & Sorreng.    

As another part, we hope our visitors enjoy a lot and must bring back some extraordinary memories for their life, while being part with ANDS works. We welcome our well wishers all the time.